Ranking the highest NHL rookies vying for the Calder Trophy in 2022-23

Last time round, it was bruising German defender Moritz Seider who stamped his title on the NHL’s Calder Memorial Trophy, the Detroit Red Wings’ rearguard beating out dynamic Anaheim Ducks pivot Trevor Zegras and hard-nosed Toronto Maple Leafs winger Michael Bunting.

A yr earlier than that, it was Kirill Kaprizov, the Minnesota Wild winger who’s developed a penchant for taking on video games. Go again one yr additional, and it was the ever-dominant Cale Makar, earlier than he graduated to the Norris and Conn Smythe conversations.

With a brand new season set to start a month from now, a brand new crop of fresh-faced rookies will as soon as once more vie for a spot amongst these Calder winners, staking their declare on NHL stardom of their first probability to point out what they will do on the recreation’s highest degree.

To break down the highest contenders for the 2023 Calder Trophy, we turned to Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala, who served because the Florida Panthers’ Director of Amateur Scouting for practically a decade, and as a professional scout for the Nashville Predators earlier than that.

Here’s a have a look at who he sees making waves within the upcoming season’s Calder race:

OWEN POWER, Buffalo Sabres
While at present’s recreation is not brief on elite, younger expertise, few verify off fairly as many packing containers as 2021’s first-overall choose, Owen Power.

After a sterling run with the University of Michigan and a short eight-game stint within the large leagues final season, the imposing Buffalo Sabres defender — who stands six-foot-six and weighs in at 213 kilos — will get his first prolonged style of NHL motion in 2022-23.

And in Bukala’s view, there is a truthful probability he’ll be the standout rookie we’re speaking about most by the yr’s finish.

“My leading candidate is Owen Power — I think that’s pretty much going to be universal across most personalities that are familiar with what’s going on,” Bukala stated. “Big body, he has the ability to play in all situations, mature beyond his years, can contribute on the power play. I think Buffalo is going to be a lot better this year as a team. It’ll be interesting to see what his role is in special-teams scenarios.”

“Similar to [Moritz] Seider in Detroit, this kid’s got the type of pedigree to be logging heavy, heavy minutes,” Bukala stated. “And he’s got the size and the stability to handle it.”

MASON McTAVISH, Anaheim Ducks
Fresh off a dominant efficiency on the 2022 World Junior Championship that noticed him win MVP honours, captain his group to a gold medal, and put up some historic numbers, Mason McTavish is certain to be within the operating too. 

Like Power, McTavish obtained a nine-game run on the NHL degree final season — together with stints suiting up for Canada on the World Juniors and the Olympic Games, and a run to the Memorial Cup Final with the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs.

“Mason McTavish has just been building momentum for an extended period of time now,” Bukala stated of the Ducks’ 2021 third-overall choose. “I simply see him using the wave of momentum into Anaheim. Anaheim will in all probability give him an prolonged runway to play top-tier minutes, I’d assume, to begin the season. And my estimation is that he will take that ball and run with it. 

“He’s not as flashy skill-wise as some other guys on my list, but he’s a bulldog and he’s a gamer. So I think he’s going to be transitioning to the NHL relatively seamlessly. I know he’s had a small cup of coffee already, but I’m expecting big things from him.”

“I think that Anaheim have on their hands somebody who has the potential to carry on the pedigree that Ryan Getzlaf had when he came into the league, and play the right way and have leadership ability and all that stuff,” Bukala continued. “As far as the trajectory of the franchise and the identity of the franchise, I think McTavish is a guy that is enormously important to where that team’s going.”

MARCO ROSSI, Minnesota Wild
It’s been an extended highway for Minnesota’s Marco Rossi for the reason that 120-point outburst he authored for the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s again in 2019-20. After battling by way of a tough bout with COVID-19, a subsequent myocarditis prognosis, and questions of whether or not he’d ever once more be the participant he was, the soon-to-be 21-year-old finds himself again on monitor, and chasing his big-league dream as soon as once more.

“Marco Rossi in Minnesota’s an interesting one for me,” Bukala stated, noting the younger Swiss centreman is coming off a professional debut marketing campaign that noticed him put up 53 factors by way of 63 video games within the AHL. “It’s hard to score in the American League. He’s not tall, but he’s built like a fire hydrant. His detail in all three zones is reliable, and he’s got real good savvy on the power play with the puck. They’ve got some guys in Minnesota who obviously are going to thrive on the power play and Minnesota’s going to need them to score goals on the power play.”

“I think that he might be a sleeper in terms of a guy that could really draw a lot of attention in this category,” Bukala continued. “Not just for point production but for his all-around game. But certainly on the power play, I think that he’s going to get a lot of handles and he might be able to control the play in the offensive zone at the National Hockey League level right away.”

KENT JOHNSON, Columbus Blue Jackets
Like Canadian teammate McTavish, Kent Johnson heads into the 2022-23 marketing campaign with a good bit of confidence gained over the low season, the 19-year-old having lately tucked house the pink and white’s golden aim to clinch Canada’s World Juniors triumph on the 2022 event.

Now, Johnson heads into what figures to be his first full season in Columbus, because the Blue Jackets franchise as a complete undergoes an intriguing flip of the web page. But whereas all eyes will probably be on Johnny Gaudreau’s first season in new colors, Johnson’s success will probably be simply as key to the group taking a step in 2023.

“He just sees the ice, tons of skill — when you think you’ve got him contained, he makes a puck play,” Bukala stated of Johnson’s recreation. “He’s a guy who can either slip off a check or he makes a play with the puck through you, even as a defender, finding people off the half-wall. He’s a slippery forward with an outstanding offensive brain.” 

“I believe that Columbus goes to be an attention-grabbing group to look at this yr. Obviously, Gaudreau, (Patrik) Laine — I’m to see the place a few of these younger guys slot in of their higher echelon of gamers and particular groups.”

WILLIAM EKLUND, San Jose Sharks
Tabbed with the seventh-overall choose in 2021, 19-year-old pivot William Eklund is on the cusp of normal NHL obligation for the San Jose Sharks as effectively. The query for the younger Swede is whether or not he’ll have the ability to escape and discover the success he is able to on a Sharks group that is struggled as of late, and appears set for a equally tumultuous 2022-23.

“I really like William Eklund. … I like his skill. He’s got a good quickness,” Bukala stated of the Sharks prospect. “I’m not so sure about his interior game, but he’s got the skill-set to be able to produce and create through the neutral zone, both with and without the puck. He finds open space. And he’ll go to the net, and he’s got a good touch around the net.”

“My only thing with San Jose is that I don’t know if he’s not going to be an easy guy to check, just because of the depth of their forward group right now,” Bukala continued. “I’m not sold on the forward group. So he may have a harder time scoring than some other guys, just because of the state of the franchise right now. So it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out.”

SHANE WRIGHT and MATTY BENIERS, Seattle Kraken
Among the newest draft class’s crop of rookies set to enter the league, loads of consideration is certain to be heaped on the shoulders of Shane Wright, who fell to Seattle at fourth-overall within the 2022 NHL Draft after a prolonged run because the anticipated No. 1 choose.

He will not be tasked with pulling the Kraken up alone, although — becoming a member of the OHL standout this season will probably be Matty Beniers, Seattle’s second-overall choose a yr prior, who amassed a promising 9 factors in his 10-game go-round within the NHL final yr.

“Shane Wright’s obviously motivated,” Bukala stated. “He slipped to quantity 4. He by all accounts has had a great summer season. His growth camp was excellent. And he will be motivated getting in there, so I believe that he will be an attention-grabbing title to look at.

“Again, it is simply going to be, how a lot is he surrounded with there, and might he carry the mail, as a result of he isn’t tremendous elite offensively. He does a whole lot of different issues very effectively, so it will be attention-grabbing to see simply how a lot level manufacturing the child will get.”

“And you then’ve obtained Matty Beniers there, too. They would possibly feed off one another on the ability play. … Beniers and Wright, Seattle’s going to wish them. That was an underwhelming yr — they’d a tough time scoring targets as a franchise. They’re going to be counting lots on them to hold the mail going ahead.

“It’s going to be attention-grabbing. But if Shane Wright doesn’t rating lots, I believe he’ll do among the different issues, in order that’s actually vital for Seattle as effectively.”

JURAJ SLAFKOVSKY, Montreal Canadiens
Which brings us to Slafkovsky, the expertise who ended up snagging Wright’s first-overall crown. The Montreal Canadiens product heads into the 2022-23 season with loads of strain on his shoulders, too, after the group arguably went in opposition to the grain to tab him with the No. 1 choose.

In Bukala’s view, 2022-23 won’t be the season we see Slafkovsky dominate offensively. But that does not imply he cannot nonetheless grow to be a extremely efficient piece for Montreal in his rookie yr.

“I think Slafkovsky has the potential to produce in streaks,” Bukala stated of the Canadiens prospect. “I think he’s going to be a little bit streaky, but he’s going to do a lot of other things for the Habs when he’s not scoring goals or producing offence, with that size — you know, continual play along the wall, and opening up some space for guys, if he’s on the ice with (Nick) Suzuki, for example. … They’ve got Kirby Dach there now too — let’s say he plays with Dach for some reason, well you’ve got two big rigs on the line there, so that changes the look of that line.”

“He’d be a guy in my top seven or eight to keep a close eye on, not because he went first overall this year, but because of that power-forward body that looks like it should transition pretty quickly to the NHL game. I just think there’s going to be some streakiness there for his first year, so we’ll see how that goes — I think his extended career is going to be better than his first couple of years.”

JAKE SANDERSON, Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators already discover themselves brimming with younger, harmful offensive expertise, led by the limitless potential of dynamic 2020 third-overall choose Tim Stutzle. Add within the slew of high-profile strikes GM Pierre Dorion made this low season — particularly the additions of bona fide all-stars in Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat — and much brighter days appear on the horizon for the Sens.

And but, the membership nonetheless boasts one other top-tier expertise they’ve but to even throw into the combo, in defender Jake Sanderson — the group’s fifth-overall choose from that very same 2020 class. After two strong campaigns with the University of North Dakota, and a pair extra with the U.S. NTDP earlier than that, the 20-year-old’s time seems close to.

“Jake Sanderson is an elite defender,” Bukala stated of the Sens rearguard. “Great skater, moves the puck, joins the rush as an extra layer, over a point-a-game at the college level, leadership. He’s coming off an injury that’s by all accounts healed up fine, so he should be able to get going right away.” 

“You look at the way the defence is built there and then you look at him — their back end in Ottawa, they’ve got some agile guys who skate, and he adds to that. And the more you can roll those guys over the boards in two separate units, the better off your team is, because your team’s always playing fast and always playing to the same identity. I think Sanderson’s that way too.”

All playing cards provided by The Pro Hockey Group.