NHL Calder Trophy Tracker: Stankoven, Michkov And Hutson In Lifeless Warmth, However Celebrini Lurks

The NHL’s Calder Trophy race is shaping into an actual thriller starring Matvei Michkov, Lane Hutson, Logan Stankoven and Macklin Celebrini.

A handful of rookies have been fairly good via the primary month of the season. There are additionally a number of rookies who had been anticipated to be immediately efficient gamers and have had a sluggish begin.

As normal, the early stage of the Calder race is wild, and it’ll look vastly totally different on the finish of the season. This is how the highest eight seems on the halfway level of November.

1. Logan Stankoven, RW, Dallas Stars

It’s not precisely a shock to see Stankoven atop the Calder leaderboard after he performed so properly on the finish of final season. That mentioned, it’s nonetheless spectacular the undersized Stars proper winger has been this constantly efficient. He’s been low-maintenance within the Stars lineup and has by no means been accused of not exhibiting his greatest effort on the ice.

Stankoven’s relentlessness has put him atop the rookie scoring race, with 14 factors in 15 video games. Enjoying alongside Stars captain Jamie Benn has helped preserve Benn harmful because the areas the place Stankoven excels assist fill the gaps in Benn’s recreation.

Stankoven has been all the things the Stars hoped they had been getting once they chosen him within the second spherical of the 2021 NHL draft and extra.

2. Lane Hutson, D, Montreal Canadiens

The human spotlight reel, Lane Hutson, is right up there with Stankoven as the top rookie in the class.

On the finish of the day, Stankoven’s constant high-end play stored him forward of Hutson. Though the acute highs with Hutson are as excessive as any participant within the NHL, the lows proper now are as little as they get. Hutson continues to be determining NHL hockey, and that ought to get sorted out because the season progresses.

With all of that mentioned, this child has been electrical. It might shock nobody if he collected the Calder on the finish of the season. His creativity and talent with the puck are within the higher echelon of all defenders within the NHL. His dynamism is spectacular past perception. His 10 factors are tied for third in NHL rookie scoring and fourth amongst Canadiens gamers.

If he can clear up his defensive play only a bit, he might be a shoo-in for rookie of the yr.

3. Matvei Michkov, RW, Philadelphia Flyers

The excellent news is Michkov leads NHL rookies in goal-scoring, with six, together with Thursday’s overtime-winner over the Ottawa Senators. The unhealthy information is he’s been a wholesome scratch twice this season.

Michkov hasn’t had the proper integration into the NHL, however he has had way more ups than downs regardless of the wholesome scratches. The fact is that Michkov performs for John Tortorella, who’s notoriously exhausting on his gamers. Michkov being wholesome scratched a few occasions ought to have been anticipated.

If Michkov can keep out of the press field, we may realistically see him problem 30 objectives, particularly as he will get extra snug within the NHL. Michkov’s shot in depraved. He must push to the slot extra constantly, however he’s a deadly offensive presence. He’s what Philly wants, and if Tortorella can do not forget that subsequent time Michkov makes a defensive mistake, possibly he can get again as much as the highest of the Calder tracker.

Related: Flyers’ John Tortorella Healthy Scratching Top Rookie Matvei Michkov Is Perfectly OK

4. Macklin Celebrini, C, San Jose Sharks

After scoring in his first NHL game, the Sharks held their high prospect out of the lineup with a lingering hip damage for a number of weeks. That held again Celebrini’s alternative to place collectively a strong begin to his rookie season.

Upon his return, the 2024 first-overall decide has asserted himself because the Sharks’ greatest participant with three objectives and 4 factors in six video games, and he seems like he can deal with the No. 1 heart function for San Jose.

Celebrini is extremely sensible with and with out the puck. He always seems to maneuver play up ice. Celebrini performs like a veteran already, and that ought to assist him vault to the highest of this record as quickly as subsequent month.

If he can keep wholesome and preserve placing up spectacular numbers – each counting stats and underlying – he needs to be one of many Calder favorites.

5. Dustin Wolf, G, Calgary Flames

The Flames have been at their greatest when Dustin Wolf is in internet. The 23-year-old netminder has posted a .913 save proportion and a 5-2-1 record via eight video games, and he seems like he actually is the way forward for the Flames crease.

Wolf will at all times must combat the critics who knock him for his six-foot top. But when he retains placing up spectacular numbers, as he has at each stage thus far, he may discover his option to the highest of the Calder Trophy record by the tip of the season.

6. Maxim Tsyplakov, LW, New York Islanders

Signed out of Russia, 26-year-old Tsyplakov barely meets the age necessities for the Calder Trophy, however the bodily left winger has been a shot in the arm for the Islanders. He’s glorious alongside the boards, exhibits off some sneaky talent in open ice and has been scoring at virtually a 50-point tempo, with 10 factors in 17 video games.

Whereas Tsyplakov will seemingly get dinged for his age, he needs to be within the Calder dialog all yr.

7. Jackson Blake, RW, Carolina Hurricanes

Stepping into the NHL lineup after a solid NCAA career, Blake has been fairly good in a reasonably restricted function for the Hurricanes. He has 4 objectives – two of which had been game-winners – and 6 factors in 15 video games whereas averaging 11:42 in ice time. He isn’t blowing anybody away, however he constantly works exhausting and exhibits some very nice talent in tight areas. He’s slid into the Carolina system with out problem.

Blake will not be part of the primary Calder dialog, however he seems like he might be on the periphery of all of it season lengthy.

8. Joel Blomqvist, G, Pittsburgh Penguins

Other than an unsightly night time towards the Dallas Stars on Monday, Blomqvist has been the very best netminder for the struggling Penguins. However on Thursday, the Penguins sent him to the AHL now that Tristan Jarry is again within the NHL. That will not assist his Calder case if he is there for the long run.

The younger Finnish netminder is among the only a few brilliant spots for Pittsburgh thus far within the season. The Penguins appear to have discovered their goalie for the longer term, and so they now want to determine what’s subsequent for the remainder of the roster.

Related: Are More Trades Coming For The Pittsburgh Penguins?

Get the newest information and trending tales proper to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your ideas by commenting under the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.