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Five NHL Rookies Who Could Win The Calder Trophy in 2021-22

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By Dave Vest

The race is on for the National Hockey League’s Calder Trophy, the hardware awarded annually to the league’s top rookie.

Before the season started, Cole Caufield (+250), Trevor Zegras (+500) and Spencer Knight (+800) were the top three favorites to snag the trophy. They’re all solid picks, but there are a couple of long shots worth betting on too.

Cole Caufield (+250)

Caufield, a forward for the Montreal Canadiens, made his NHL debut at the end of last season and scored four goals in 10 regular-season games. He then notched four goals and 12 points in 20 playoff games during Montreal’s playoff run to the Stanley Cup Final.

He’s a small player at 5-foot-7, but he is tricky to defend and knows how to score. Experts are predicting that last season’s Hobey Baker Award winner as the nation’s top college player will score at least 20 goals in his first full NHL season.

The Canadiens snatched Caufield with the 15th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. Many experts were surprised he lasted that long before being picked. The Canadiens, who inserted him onto the top line to start the season, are certainly thrilled he slipped to them.

Trevor Zegras (+500)

The Anaheim Ducks drafted Zegras ninth overall in 2019, and he chipped in three goals and 10 assists in a 24-game stint with the Ducks at the end of last season.

Zegras is a nifty, playmaking forward who will likely get plenty of ice time and power-play time for the Ducks as they rebuild in 2021-22.

The Ducks think so highly of Zegras that he began the season playing on the top line. They’re clearly grooming the highly accomplished amateur player to be the face of the franchise after captain Ryan Getzlaf retires.

Spencer Knight (+800)

No goalie has won the Calder Trophy since Steve Mason for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2009. That streak could end this season if Knight gets a chance to become the starter for the Panthers.

Florida selected Knight with the 13th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. He won all three regular-season games he started for the Panthers at the end of last season and notched a 2.32 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage over his first four NHL games. He then took over in Florida’s net late in the playoffs after Sergei Bobrovsky and Chris Driedger faltered.

Knight started the 2021-22 season as Bobrovsky’s backup, but still he’s expected to play a lot this season.

Lucas Raymond (+2000)

If you’re looking to bet on a long shot to win the Calder Trophy, give Raymond a serious look.

The Detroit Red Wings selected the Swedish forward with the No. 4 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old entered his first NHL season with two years of pro experience in Sweden already on his resume. He’s a polished playmaker.

The Red Wings have been using Lucas on the top line early in the season and like what they see.

Michael Bunting (+2000)

Bunting is another long shot who should be in the mix for the Calder Trophy.

The Maple Leafs signed Bunting in the offseason after his contract with the Arizona Coyotes expired. The Coyotes selected Bunting, a hustling forward, in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Draft, and since then he’s patiently waited for his shot to stick in the NHL. He got it in 2020-21 and turned heads by notching 10 goals and three assists in just 21 games.

The Maple Leafs love Bunting’s blue-collar approach and his competitiveness, so much so that they inserted him into the top-six forward grouping to start the season.

Picture Credit: Wikimedia

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