Top Five Calder Candidates in 2023

This year, the NHL is loaded with rookies who could make some noise and win the Calder Trophy. Some early-season rookies will stay up all year, and some will be sent back to juniors and a select few to the AHL. Winning this award is tricky. The player has to have the opportunity to put up points, and most players have a short time to win a starting spot unless you’re a top-five pick, and sometimes that’s not enough. 

Logan Cooley

He’s fast and smart, and he’s got his one season of NCAA hockey to fall back on. At 19, he’s got that slight edge in being mentally mature. This center will get top-six minutes and power play and if his team gets into overtime, the former Golden Gopher will be a weapon. I can see him getting 70 points, five more than new teammate Clayton Keller did in his rookie season.  

Connor Bedard

He’s got amazing stamina, compete, and edge work and already has a point on the board for the Blackhawks. His wrist shot will be lethal and his hockey I.Q. is great. Bedard has Taylor Hall playing on his line and that means a lot of scoring opportunities for both, but I think Bedard has a bit more pressure than Cooley, and if he goes cold for three or four games,  

Luke Hughes

At 20, he’s got immense talent. This Devils prospect has a high ceiling but playing on the blueline in the Metro will be challenging for him. His skating and stick skills and offensive acumen are off the charts. I can see him getting 50 points, but I think there will be other parts of the game that he must focus on that could slow down his scoring.  

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Adam Fantilli

This Blue Jackets rookie is ably put together center is a goal scorer and a playmaker. He will figure out the NHL in a short time and know where he stands. His speed, two-way play, physicality, and ability to score big goals, and clutch goals, are innate. His linemates might not be as good as the rest if he starts out as a third-line center. That’s a reason why he probably won’t win the award. 

Devon Levi

It’s hard to be an NHL starting goalie at the age of 21. His seven-game audition with the Sabres was very good last season but starting a season flat-footed is hard. I don’t doubt he can handle a 50-game workload, after that I would worry a bit and I expect him to have a good season. It’s just going to be hard to outdo the other guys in this list.  

There are other rookies who can get in the top five. Matthew Knies (Leafs), Luke Evangelista (Preds), Zach Benson (Sabres), and Matt Coronato (Flames).