Calder Trophy
The Calder Trophy (not to be confused with the Calder Cup, the AHL Championship trophy) is given to the NHL’s most outstanding rookie. The individuals who qualify as rookies this season and are eligible for this award are numerous. This is by far the hardest to pick right now. However, currently, my vote would go to: Clayton Keller, RW, Arizona Coyotes.
There hasn’t been much to get excited about this season in the desert. However, Clayton Keller is giving Coyote fans some hope for the future. The 7th overall pick in 2016, Keller has shown the elite playmaking and scoring skills that made him such a highly touted prospect out of Boston University.
In 22 games, Keller currently has 11 goals, 7 assists, and a -9 rating. To be completely honest, a -9 rating on a team that only has 4 wins in 22 games is nothing to sneeze at. Give Keller some time with the likes of Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, and Mario Kempe. This team will make some noise in the future, if they can get some goaltending.
Honorable Mention: Will Butcher, D, New Jersey Devils. The defenseman who spurned the Colorado Avalanche this summer to join the Devils is off to a hot start to his career. In 19 games, Butcher has collected 1 goal, 14 assists, and a +6 rating on a Devils team that is surprising a lot of people, leading the Metropolitan Division.