Auston Matthews Wins 2017 Calder Trophy for Best Rookie

Auston Matthews was named the NHL Calder Trophy winner as the league's top rookie at Wednesday's NHL Awards show. 

Auston Matthews, 19, was arguably the front-runner for the award after scoring 40 goals—tied for second in the NFL with Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov and trailing only Sidney Crosby (44)—and 69 overall points in a superb rookie campaign that saw him appear in all 82 games.

Perhaps more impressively, he helped lead a Maple Leafs to a postseason berth.

So, just how good was his rookie season?

Craig Custance of ESPN.com wrote: "After he passed Neal Broten for most goals by an American rookie, I think it's fair to argue he's turned in the best American rookie season in NHL history. Somehow he scored four goals in his NHL debut and then managed not to let the high expectations that followed bowl him over."

Pierre LeBrun of TSN added: "Well, he's put the together the best rookie season in the 100-year history of the Toronto Maple Leafs. ... I mean, that's pretty heady company. And to do it in an era when scoring is not what it was in the 1970s, '80s and early '90s just underlines how special it really is."

Patrik Laine, 19, was often overshadowed by the accomplishments of Auston Matthews this season, but his numbers are nearly as impressive, finishing with four fewer goals (36 overall) and just five fewer points (64). While he couldn't lead the Winnipeg Jets to the postseason, he did help the team improve by seven points and escape the Central Division cellar.

As consolation prizes go—Matthews was the first overall pick in last year's NHL draft, while Laine went No. 2—the Jets likely couldn't be more thrilled with the one they received. Laine immediately bolstered the team's offense and became the face of the franchise.

"He's very young, but very talented and very skilled," Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin said of Laine in February, per Ryan Dittrick of NHL.com. "When I came into the league, everyone was talking about me and [Sidney Crosby]. Now it's all about Laine and Matthews. The league is in good hands. Those guys are the future of the NHL. They're going to be superstars."

There's an argument to be made that they already are.

Zach Werenski, 19, was perhaps overlooked in the 2015 NHL draft. After all, Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel were both considered generational talents and both immediately lived up to the hype. Werenski, meanwhile, was drafted No. 8 overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets and played for Michigan last year.

The overshadowing continued into his rookie campaign, as Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine earned more headlines with their goalscoring prowess. 

But take nothing from Werenski, who was excellent for the Blue Jackets, leading all rookie defensemen with 47 points and establishing himself as arguably the most promising young defenseman in the NHL. In the process, Columbus went from 76 points a year ago to 108 this season, as impressive a one-year turnaround as you'll see.

Werenski's head coach, John Tortorella, is thrilled with his young blueliner. 

According to Nicholas J. Cotsonika of NHL.com, "Tortorella raves about how Werenski sees the game, doesn't panic and isn't afraid to try the same play after making a mistake. He pays him what he considers the biggest compliments he can pay a player: that he carries himself like a pro and respects the League."

"He gets it," Tortorella added.