Who is on the race for Rookie of the Year?
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Jeff Drouin
September 30, 2021 (8:19 PM)
Every new season brings its share of young wolves in the NHL and this year is no exception. Do you remember the last time a Montreal Canadiens player won the Calder Trophy for best rookie? I couldn't remember either, I just googled it, it was in 1972 and the recipient was our goalie Ken Dryden.
So this year for a very long time, we are fortunate to have a player on our team who should be fighting all year for the prestigious trophy. That is of course Cole Caufield.
Here is a list of players that I think could be in the running.
Trevor Zegras, 20 (center, Anaheim):
Here we have a possible franchise player. He will be the first line center with the Anaheim Ducks this season. He performed very well last year in both the American Hockey League and NHL.
San Diego Gulls: 17 games, 10 goals and 11 assists
Anaheim Ducks: 24 games, 3 goals and 10 assists
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He will get ice time on the power play as well as the short-handed. The Ducks season will be Zegras or it won't be. He will be Caufield's main opponent in the Calder race!
Shane Pinto, 20 (center, Ottawa):
The North Dakota University star will be the second center for the Senators this year. He will have the excellent Tim Stützle to his left. Last year when he arrived with the big team, he did very well as his record shows.
Ottawa Senators: 12 games, 1 goal and 6 assists with a +6 rating.
University of North Dakota : 28 games, 15 goals and 17 assists
Currently, the Senators environment is perfect for his development. Moreover, he will be able to pick up a lot of points next to Stützle. He'll be in the mix until the end.
Connor McMichael, 20 (center, Washington):
The young sensation from the London Knights did very well last year in the AHL. He has the compass in his eye as they say in the symmetry world.
Bears Hershey: 33 games, 14 goals and 13 assists with a +6 rating
The only downside in his case is that there are three centers ahead of him with the Capitals, Kuznetsov-Backstrom-Eller. He will have to start on the wings if he breaks through the lineup.
I will continue tomorrow with my last three picks and I will predict the winner!
Have a great season everybody!
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