Although the season is still young, the race for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the best rookie, already promises to be more competitive than last year. In 2023-24, Connor Bedard won the award despite a broken jaw that kept him sidelined for 14 games. In 68 games, he recorded 22 goals and 39 assists for a total of 61 points, highs among first-year players in the National Hockey League (NHL).
For 2024-2025, after a little over a month of activity, the picture is still vague, but one candidate is gradually emerging.
Matvei Michkov of the Philadelphia Flyers was seen by many as a strong contender before the start of the season, and so far, he has not disappointed. With ten points in 13 duels and a rookie of the month title, he is among the best scorers on the Bettman circuit among newcomers. However, his playing time seems to have declined recently due to his decline, a normal decrease for a young player. He was notably left out during the Pennsylvania team’s last game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Among the other hockey players in the running, the name of Logan Stankoven, of the Dallas Stars, comes up repeatedly. Not only does he lead rookies in points and assists, but he is also in the top-3 for shots (1st), power play points (3rd) and differential (2nd). His experience with Dallas last year seems to benefit him this season. The British Columbian had played in 24 games and collected 14 points under the direction of Peter DeBoer. The 5-foot-8 center is well positioned to win the title, but he will need to continue to string together good performances as the competition is fierce and the campaign is long.
Other rookies also worthy of attention include Maxim Tsyplakov (2-6-8), Lane Hutson (0-7-7) and, of course, the latest first overall pick, Macklin Celebrini. Although he missed several games, he ranks eighth in points with four points, including three goals in three games.
Canada
