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The 2024/2025 NHL season is well underway, and slowly but surely, we are starting to get a sense of who could find themselves in the shakeup for Stanley Cup glory. You only have to look at the odds to win this prestigious trophy to get an idea of things. If you do want to check out the odds, be sure to head over to gambleontario.ca where you can find the best websites for Canadian gamblers.

Rookie of the Year

Whilst the NHL is awash with several legendary names, one of the most exciting features of any new NHL season is seeing which rookies are able to make the transition to the pros with ease.

With the NHL’s best rookies able to compete for the much-acclaimed Calder Trophy, here are some of the names that will have high hopes of adding their names to the list of previous prestigious winners.

Let’s take a closer look.

Logan Stankoven—Dallas Stars

If the Calder Trophy was to be handed out today, it’s likely that a leading contender would be Logan Stankoven.

Picked by many shrewd pundits as a dark horse to be crowned the season’s best rookie, Stankoven has enjoyed a solid start to the season and, at the time of writing, leads all rookies in point scoring.

With the Stars containing a talented squad, Stankoven isn’t getting a tonne of exposure and, on average, is playing for 15 minutes per game, but it’s clear that he is making the most of his opportunities.

A solid player who has a clear eye for goal, Stankoven is efficient at getting his shots away, and just like his points, he leads all rookies when it comes to the number of shots that have been taken.

Having already proved himself as a vital cog to the Stars machine, expect Stankoven to play more minutes as the season progresses. If he can keep up his early season form, he may well find that the Calder Trophy could be his.

Matvei Michkov—Philadelphia Flyers

Currently stacked in behind Stankoven is Philadelphia’s flying right winger, Matvei Michkov.

Having impressed through the early part of the season, Michkov has scored the most goals out of any rookie, and he also boasts the second-highest shot percentage out of any rookie hitting the ice this season.

At just 19, Michkov is one of the youngest but toughest players in the NHL, but due to his pure rawness, he has seen his time spent on the ice carefully monitored.

Like Stankoven, when he has been given his opportunities, he has made the most of them, and through the first quarter of the season, he has been able to chip in with six goals and nine assists.

Proving to be a great depth option for a Flyers squad that currently finds itself in the middle of the pack when it comes to the overall playoff standings, Michkov will keep improving as the season goes on. Nobody will be surprised if he goes on to make a significant mark on proceedings this season.

Macklin Celebrini—San Jose Sharks

Last year’s Calder Trophy winner was Connor Bedard, and he achieved the rare feat of being a number draft pick who was able to complete a first full season and cement his legacy and reputation as the best rookie in the game.

Hoping to follow in Bedard’s footsteps is this year’s number one pick, Macklin Celebrini. Although he suffered an early injury that has left him with plenty of catching up to do in the overall Calder standings, when fit, he is averaging the third longest minutes out of the entire rookie class. As long as he can stay injury free, he has a good chance of catching those above him and living up to his overall number-one pick billing.

With three goals already, despite his limited action, the Sharks look like they are going to miss the playoffs once more. In a season of what could be tough for Sharks fans, the one bright spot that they hope will emerge is in the form of Celebrini, who they hope will be a foundation piece for the franchise for years to come.

Will Smith—San Jose Sharks

Helping to complete an exciting crop of San Jose rookies is Will Smith. Drafted to help reboot an aging and poor forward line, Smith has found the switch from college to the pros difficult, and he hasn’t had the impact that many believed he would have when coming out of college.

With Smith struggling to make an impact, and with his playing time being limited, there are reports that the Sharks management may consider loaning him out to the USA for the World Ice Hockey Juniors event.

Whilst a decision will need to be made on whether Smith suits up for the States, viewed as an outside contender to be in the race for the Calder Trophy at the start of the season, things need to change quickly if he is to turn his rookie campaign around.

Lane Hutson—Montreal Canadiens

Whereas Smith has struggled to bring in the form that made him a household name in college, one man who has made the transition look simple is Lane Hutson.

Hutson leads all rookies when it comes to total playing time, and he is quickly emerging as a crucial player for the ailing Canadiens.

The first defenseman on our list, there were concerns that he could be overpowered and outmatched at the professional level, but so far, he has been able to put those concerns firmly to bed.

Having been able to record ten points through his first seventeen games as a pro, Hutson is proving to be a threat at both ends of the ice. And although many didn’t fancy him as a leading contender for Calder glory, if he can keep up his positive start to the season, his chances can’t be overlooked.

Cutter Gauthier—Anaheim Ducks

When Cutter Gauthier was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks, many in hockey’s most respected circles believed that the Ducks had drafted a player capable of leading them to new glories.

An exciting forward who can create and score, Gauthier has arguably been the unluckiest player on our list.

Despite having the second-highest shot rate out of the entire rookie class, a mixture of heroic goaltending and the posts have kept Gauthier largely off the scoresheet, and one of the front runners in the race to land the Calder Trophy has found himself frustrated with a slow start.

With his overall shot percentage amongst the very worst in the NHL, Gauthier seems to have finally found his scoring boots, and the goals are starting to flow. Although he has ground to makeup, Gauthier remains a real dark horse for Calder glory and could be a player to watch with real interest.

Jackson Blake—Carolina Hurricanes

Without a doubt, the biggest surprise when it comes to the contenders for the Calder Trophy is Carolina Hurricanes forward Jackson Blake.

Drafted back in 2021 in the fourth round, Blake is the only rookie that the Hurricanes have carried over into their active roster this season, and although he is surrounded by stars, Blake is carving out a nice niche for himself and is definitely emerging as a surprising depth piece in the team.

With the Hurricanes hoping to avenge their early exit in the playoffs last season, they will need help from different angles. Blake seems to be one of the men the Hurricanes management can massively rely on.

Having scored four goals through the first part of the season, many will be watching Blake with real interest through the regular season and then the postseason to see if he can keep up his early season promise and become a real challenger in the race for Calder glory.

Much To Be Decided as Season Progresses

Although these are just some of the names to keep an eye on as the season progresses, a hockey season is long, and there are bound to be players who enjoy differing fortunes as the race to make the playoffs intensifies.

Many factors, such as injury, the overall form of a team, and management decisions, are all likely to play a major part in determining who could land the Calder Trophy this season. Who do you think will pick up the trophy?