NHL Calder Trophy Update: Who’ll join Matty Beniers as a finalist?

With the NHL regular season winding down this week, we’ve had enough time to dissect this year’s rookie crop.

And, let’s face it. Matty Beniers is the favorite here. While he was never the rookie of the month, he remained consistent throughout and is a big reason why the Seattle Kraken are playoff bound in just the second season of the team’s existence. Beniers entered as the favorite, and he’ll finish as the favorite.

But the fight to be a finalist for the Calder is as deep as ever. Whether it be injuries, inconsistent play or late-season heroics, there’s no consensus No. 2-3 in this year’s crop. You could go so many ways here, with different reasons for each contender. It won’t be long until we know the final three for each award, and, like always, the Calder will be one of the most interesting battles around.

So, let’s look at 10 players with strong cases to finish as finalists for the 2023 Calder Trophy:

Owen Power, D (Buffalo Sabres)

Leading all rookies with 23:45 in average ice time, Power has been a workhorse for a Sabres team making a last-ditch effort at the playoffs. Power has the third-best wins-above-replacement and goals-above-replacement at 1.8 and 10.5, respectively. Taken No. 1 overall by the Sabres in 2021, Power is also fourth in blocked shots and fifth in takeaways among rookie blueliners, and the team controls the puck 52.20 percent of the time. Essentially, when Power’s on the ice, the Sabres are in good hands. He might not be overly flashy, but he can shut you down and beat you physically. Power’s going to be a star one day.

Matias Maccelli, LW (Arizona Coyotes)

Unlike a few others near the top of the list, Maccelli and Co. have had no shot at making the playoffs. Had the Coyotes been in the hunt, perhaps Maccelli’s case would have been even stronger. The 22-year-old Finn took everything he learned in his 23-game stint with the club last year and blew expectations as a key member of Arizona’s frontline attack. He’s two points shy of the 50-point mark, but would have been closer to 60 had he not missed 18 games due to injury. He has the best shooting percentage among rookies at 18.6 and possesses a .77 points-per-game average – slightly better than Beniers’ .73. Does Maccelli actually deserve the Calder? You be the judge.

Stuart Skinner, G (Edmonton Oilers)

So much has been said about Jack Campbell’s struggles for the Oilers this season, , despite having a generally positive record. Skinner has been miles ahead in just about every statistical category, and while his surface stats are nothing special, the Oilers wouldn’t be one of the best teams since Jan. 1 without him. Since March 1, Skinner’s .922 save percentage and 4.14 goals saved above average are good for sixth among goaltenders with at least 13 games played in that span, which has helped push the Oilers within two points of the Pacific Division lead.

Wyatt Johnston, C (Dallas Stars)

Johnston was taken 23rd overall by the Dallas Stars in 2021, which, after a lost year due to COVID-19, raised some eyebrows. Since then, all he’s done is punish goaltenders at all levels. He scored 46 goals and 124 points to lead all CHLers in points last year with Windsor before putting up another 41 points in the post-season. He then cracked the Stars full-time this year and immediately thrust his way into Dallas’ middle six – and even helped rejuvenate Jamie Benn’s career. Johnston is a huge piece of Dallas’ future, and he’s just getting started.

Jake Sanderson, D (Ottawa Senators)

Ottawa has struggled to stay healthy, which definitely hampered their playoff hopes. But Sanderson has remained a steady force for the most part, sitting second behind Power with 21:43 in average ice time. He has four goals and 31 points this season, but he leads all rookies with 16 points on the power play. The smart, puck-moving blueliner is Ottawa’s star defenseman of the future, and his strong debut season was exactly as advertised.

Mason McTavish, C (Anaheim Ducks)

For a good chunk of time, McTavish was second in scoring behind Beniers. But a quiet second half – including just two assists over the past 13 games – has cooled things off a bit. A lot of that can be chalked up to the team he’s on, but it’s been a successful rookie season for the 20-year-old regardless. Big things are afloat in California, and McTavish is living up to the hype early on.

Kent Johnson, LW (Columbus Blue Jackets)

The king of the lacrosse goal, Johnson is the only player to ever do it in the NHL, BCHL and World Junior Championship. So that’s cool. The 20-year-old has 16 goals and 40 points this year, and while he has never been a Calder favorite, he’s been a consistent force for CBJ all year long. As the Blue Jackets trend forwards over the next few years, especially if they end up selecting Connor Bedard, Johnson’s mix of skill and dynamic playmaking will make him a huge piece of the team’s future.

Logan Thompson, G (Vegas Golden Knights)

Injuries have limited Thompson to just two games since February 1, which is such a shame after a great first half for the NHL all-star. Thompson established himself as Vegas starting goalie with a 21-13-3 record and two shutouts through 23 games and was a big reason why the Golden Knights rebounded after missing the 2022 post-season. If he can stay healthy next year, watch out.

Pyotr Kochetkov, G (Carolina Hurricanes)

Kochetkov showed some real promise for the Hurricanes during his 24-game run. And if wasn’t for him being waiver exempt, unlike Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta, Kochetkov would have been a full-time NHLer. He posted a 12-7-5 record but sits tied for fourth in the league with four shutouts. He’s Carolina’s goalie of the future, and looks primed to start that duty as the No. 1 next year.

Kirill Marchenko, RW (Columbus Blue Jackets)

What an interesting year for the 22-year-old winger. After a slow start, Marchenko found himself putting up nearly half a goal per game and has been one of the few bright spots for the Blue Jackets this season. His statline of 21 goals and four assists looks a bit goofy, but Marchenko emerged as a force with the puck.

Other notables: Jonathan Kovacevic, D (Montreal Canadiens), Jack Quinn, RW (Buffalo Sabres), Noah Cates, LW (Philadelphia Flyers), Shane Pinto, C (Ottawa Senators), Cole Perfetti, C (Winnipeg Jets), Nick Perbix, D (Tampa Bay Lightning), Calen Addison, D (Minnesota Wild), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G (Buffalo Sabres)