The NHL has announced the three finalists for the Calder Trophy: Matthew Schaefer, Ivan Demidov, and Beckett Sennecke. This award recognizes the most proficient rookie in the NHL for the season.
Key points
NHL announced Calder Trophy finalists during draft lottery
Finalists include Matthew Schaefer, Ivan Demidov, Beckett Sennecke
Calder Trophy recognizes NHL rookie of the year
Lane Hutson was last year's Calder Trophy winner
Potential for a defenseman to win the award again
New York IslandersMontreal CanadiensAnaheim DucksMatthew Schaefer
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The NHL announced the three finalists for the Calder Trophy during Tuesday's draft lottery.
This award is given to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the NHL. In other words, the winner is considered the rookie of the year.
Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson was last year's Calder Trophy winner. This year could mark the second straight year a defenseman wins the award, or the second straight year a Canadiens player could claim it.
Here is how I would rank the three Calder Trophy finalists.
3. Beckett Sennecke, RW, Anaheim Ducks
It may have surprised people to see just how important Sennecke has been for the Ducks this season.
In 82 games, Sennecke scored 23 goals and 60 points. He finished tied for the most goals and second for the most points.
Of Sennecke's 23 tallies, just one was on the power play, and another came shorthanded. That means 21 of those goals were at even strength, which is impressive.
The 20-year-old finished with the second-most points by a rookie in franchise history. Only Trevor Zegras finished with more in his first NHL campaign, putting up 61 points in 75 appearances in 2021-22.
Q&A
Who are the Calder Trophy finalists for this year?
The Calder Trophy finalists are Matthew Schaefer, Ivan Demidov, and Beckett Sennecke.
What is the Calder Trophy awarded for in the NHL?
The Calder Trophy is awarded to the player deemed the most proficient in their first year of competition in the NHL, essentially recognizing the rookie of the year.
Which team did last year's Calder Trophy winner play for?
Last year's Calder Trophy winner, Lane Hutson, played for the Montreal Canadiens.
Could a defenseman win the Calder Trophy for the second consecutive year?
Yes, this year could mark the second straight year a defenseman wins the Calder Trophy.
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Demidov has cemented himself as a budding star for the Canadiens and an important contributor.
He completed his first full season in the NHL with 19 goals and 62 points in 82 games, leading all rookies in scoring.
The 20-year-old finished fifth on the Habs in points, which is an encouraging sign for what's to come. Demidov could go from being a secondary scorer to a primary scorer for the Canadiens as soon as next year.
He averaged 15:30 of ice time in the regular season and has spent most of the year on the right wing of Oliver Kapanen, with Juraj Slafkovsky and Alex Newhook alternating on the left side.
The Canadiens are the second-youngest team in the NHL in terms of average age, according to eliteprospects.com, yet they are set for the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs after knocking off the veteran and battle-tested Tampa Bay Lightning.
It's very possible that Schaefer could be the unanimous winner of the Calder Trophy this year after having a magical rookie campaign for the Islanders.
The 2025 first overall pick entered the NHL this season as an 18-year-old defenseman and broke records. One of the most notable records he set this year was tying Brian Leetch for the most goals by a rookie D-man in the NHL with 23.
Schaefer's 23 goals tied Sennecke's total this season and had the most by a rookie from the back end. In addition, he registered 36 assists and 59 points while averaging an impressive 24:41 of ice time, which led the team.
Schaefer's ability to impress the hockey community this year went so far that some predicted him to feature in Canada's Olympic team. At such a young age, the Hamilton, Ont., native can already be considered as one of the best defensemen in the league.
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