Updated Ranking of the Top Calder Trophy Candidates in 2015-16
Past the midway point of this NHL season, the race for the Calder Memorial Trophy remains a close one. Several youngsters, including Chicago Blackhawks left wing Artemi Panarin, Arizona Coyotes left wing Max Domi and Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, are among the rookie scoring leaders.
Offense, however, isn't the only measure for determining Rookie of the Year honors. Overall performance must be considered as well as the requirements of the position played. A defenseman such as Colton Parayko of the St. Louis Blues or a goaltender such as Connor Hellebuyck are performing well in their respective roles.
Earlier this season, Bleacher Report's Steve Macfarlane ranked the top Calder Trophy candidates. The following slideshow is an updated ranking, taking into account statistical information, overall performance and other factors.
Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section below.
Honorable Mention
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Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers: Since joining the Flyers on Nov. 14, Gostisbehere quickly established himself as a promising young defenseman. With 17 points in 26 games, he's moving up in the rookie scoring race.
Mike Condon, Montreal Canadiens: The Habs' tumble in the standings isn't Condon's fault. He's done a good job filling in for sidelined starter Carey Price. His 12 wins lead all rookie goaltenders.
Robby Fabbri, St. Louis Blues: Only 19 (will be 20 on Jan. 22), Fabbri is adjusting well to the NHL pace. He's among the rookie leaders in goals and game-winning tallies.
Mattias Janmark, Dallas Stars: The 23-year-old Janmark is one of the rookie leaders in goals and plus/minus. He has settled in nicely on the Stars' third line.
Noah Hanifin, Carolina Hurricanes: The 18-year-old won't receive Calder recognition, but he's swiftly proving himself as a capable NHL defenseman. Hanifin has a bright future with the Hurricanes.
Darnell Nurse, Edmonton Oilers: Averaging over 21 minutes per game, Nurse is the rookie leader in ice time. The 6'4", 213-pound defenseman is an invaluable part of the Oilers' blue line.
Oscar Lindberg, New York Rangers: A lengthy offensive drought and several healthy scratches from the roster knocked Lindberg from the top-10 ranking. The two-way center has promise, but he's still adjusting to the NHL game.
Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets: An offensive drought in December prevented the 19-year-old from moving up into the top 10. Ehlers has considerable offensive potential, but he needs more consistency.
Anders Nilsson, Edmonton Oilers: The rise of Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson, plus the improvement of Oilers starter Cam Talbot, knocked Nilsson out of the top-10 ranking. He remains a capable backup for the Oilers.
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers: McDavid was among the leading rookie scorers until he was sidelined by a broken clavicle. Expected to return in February, a strong finish to the season could lift him into Calder contention.
10. Sam Reinhart, Buffalo Sabres
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Previous ranking: Unranked.
Stats: In 46 games, Buffalo Sabres center Sam Reinhart scored 12 goals and eight assists for 20 points. The 20-year-old has three game-winning goals and a shot-attempts percentage of 51.63.
Performance: Reinhart sits among the leaders in rookie scoring stats, including game-winning goals. He also leads the Sabres in that category, and he ranks among their top scorers.
Analysis: Though overshadowed by fellow rookie teammate Jack Eichel, Reinhart is showing the offensive skills that made him the second-overall pick in the 2014 NHL draft. He appears to be adjusting well as a top-line winger.
9. Anthony Duclair, Arizona Coyotes
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Previous ranking: Honorable mention.
Stats: In 43 games, Arizona Coyotes right wing Anthony Duclair netted 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points. The 20-year-old has six power-play points, two game-winning goals and a shot-attempts percentage of 50.63.
Performance: Among NHL rookies, Duclair is one of the top-five scorers. He's among Arizona's young offensive stars and leads the club in shooting percentage.
Analysis: Duclair has settled into the second-line right wing role with the Coyotes. He and fellow rookie Max Domi are among the reasons this rebuilding team is exceeding expectations and jockeying for a playoff berth in the Western Conference. Though Duclair's a streaky scorer, he's an offensive threat whenever he's on the ice.
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8. Sam Bennett, Calgary Flames
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Previous ranking: Fifth.
Stats: After 43 games, Calgary Flames center Sam Bennett has 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points. The 19-year-old also has four power-play points, two game-winning goals and a shot-attempts percentage of 48.10.
Performance: Bennett's four-goal performance on Jan. 13 against the Florida Panthers made him the youngest player in Flames history to tally a hat trick. He's also the third-youngest NHL player to reach that milestone. Bennett is among the rookie leaders in goals, points and game winners.
Analysis: After a promising playoff performance last year, Bennett struggled through a couple of lengthy scoring droughts this season. Of late, he's been finding the net with more frequency. Skating as a second-line winger, Bennett's starting to move up among the Flames scoring leaders.
7. John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
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Previous ranking: Unranked.
Stats: In 19 games, Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson posted a record of nine wins, seven losses and two overtime losses. The 22-year-old also had a goals-against average of 1.90 and a save percentage of .923 with four shutouts.
Performance: Gibson leads all rookie goaltenders in goals-against average and shutouts and is among the leaders in save percentage and wins. His GAA is also tops among NHL starters.
Analysis: Called up on Nov. 24, Gibson has taken over the starter's job from Frederik Andersen. After struggling through 23 NHL games last season, he now appears more comfortable and confident in the big leagues. Thanks to Gibson's play, the Ducks have climbed to within striking distance of a playoff spot.
6. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
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Previous ranking: Unranked.
Stats: In 19 games, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has a record of 11 wins, seven losses and one overtime loss. The 22-year-old sports a 2.00 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage and two shutouts.
Performance: Hellebuyck leads all rookie goaltenders in save percentage and is among the leaders in wins, goals-against average and shutouts. His save percentage and GAA also rank among the league's best.
Analysis: Since stepping in on Nov. 27 to replace sidelined Jets starter Ondrej Pavelec, Hellebuyck has done a fine job. On Jan. 17, the Winnipeg Sun's Paul Friesen praised the young netminder's performance, citing him as the main reason the Jets remain in playoff contention. Pavelec could find it difficult getting his job back.
5. Max Domi, Arizona Coyotes
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Previous ranking: Third.
Stats: In 45 games, Arizona Coyotes left wing Max Domi netted 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points. The 20-year-old collected nine power-play points and had a shot-attempts percentage of 45.54.
Performance: Among the rookie scoring leaders, Domi is in the top three in assists, points and power-play points. He's also one of the Coyotes' leading scorers this season.
Analysis: Domi's production has declined, tallying only 11 of his 31 points since Dec. 1. One reason is his shot totals are down over that period compared to earlier in the season. He's probably facing stiffer defensive coverage now. Domi will have to find a way to overcome this to remain among the Calder Trophy favorites.
4. Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues
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Previous ranking: Sixth.
Stats: In 47 games, St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko tallied six goals and 13 assists for 19 points. The 22-year-old has a plus/minus of plus-17, with three game-winning goals, 100 shots and a shot-attempts percentage of 54.38.
Performance: The 6'6", 226-pound Parayko is among the leading rookies in plus/minus, game-winning goals, time on ice per game (19:14) and shifts. While he's not putting up points as he did earlier in the season, he's become an effective second-pairing defenseman for the Blues. Parayko is among their leaders in blocked shots, hits and takeaways.
Analysis: Parayko remains a pleasant surprise for St. Louis this season. He filled in admirably during veteran Kevin Shattenkirk's early-season injury, quickly becoming a vital part of the roster. While Parayko's benefiting from playing on a deep Blues defense, that doesn't detract from his solid performance thus far.
3. Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres
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Previous ranking: Fourth.
Stats: In 46 games, Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel scored 14 goals, along with 15 assists, for 29 points. The 19-year-old also has 143 shots, with a shot-attempts percentage of 45.83.
Performance: The second-overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, Eichel leads all rookies in shots. He's also the leader among first-year forwards in ice time per game. Skating as a second-line center with the Sabres, he's one of their top scorers.
Analysis: Considering Eichel's youth and the fact he's playing for a rebuilding club, he's having a solid rookie campaign. He's showing few signs of struggling to adjust to the NHL pace, quickly becoming a valuable member of the Sabres. That should merit serious consideration for the Calder Trophy.
2. Artemi Panarin, Chicago Blackhawks
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Previous ranking: First.
Stats: In 49 games, Chicago Blackhawks left wing Artemi Panarin has 16 goals, 29 assists and 45 points. The 24-year-old had 113 shots and a shot-attempts percentage of 52.90.
Performance: After several seasons of pro hockey in Russia, Panarin is adjusting well to the NHL game. Panarin tops all rookie scorers by a wide margin. He's also second in scoring on the Blackhawks. He and high-scoring linemate Patrick Kane form a lethal offensive duo.
Analysis: Panarin's production dipped slightly from his point-per-game clip of earlier in the season, but he maintains a comfortable lead over his fellow rookies. He's also erased any doubt that he can keep up with a superstar like Kane. His age and previous pro experience in the KHL have served him well. Panarin remains one of this season's Calder Trophy favorites.
1. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
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Previous ranking: Second.
Stats: In 44 games, Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin tallied 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points. The 19-year-old had 120 shots, a shot-attempts percentage of 50.62, a plus/minus of plus-22 and four game-winning goals.
Performance: Larkin leads all NHL rookies in plus/minus and game-winning goals. He also sits among the top three rookies in points. More impressively, he leads the Red Wings in several offensive categories. On Jan. 17, the Detroit News' Ted Kulfan reported the youngster will see more time on the penalty kill.
Analysis: Larkin has transitioned well to the NHL, playing with the poise, skill and confidence of a veteran. It's hard to believe he was playing college hockey a year ago. He's swiftly become a valuable member of the Red Wings. Of this season's rookies, he's the most complete player. That could give him the edge among the Calder Trophy favorites.
Player and team stats via NHL.com.
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