Early Calder Trophy Candidates For The 2022-23 Season

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Jacob LP
July 22, 2022 (1:11 PM)

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We are exactly 76 days away from the opening of the 2022-23 NHL season. Every season, new young players come into the NHL and show the hockey world their talent. There are always a few guys that have been under the radar that come up and surprise everyone. Some highly touted players confirm their potential and quickly become important parts of their team. Think of guys like Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, Trevor Zegras, and even Cole Caufield. At the end of the season, all the league's general managers vote for the Rookie of the Year. Without surprise, Wings defenseman Moritz Seider won last year's Calder Trophy. Here are some early Calder candidates to watch next season.

To be eligible for the Calder Trophy, a player must have played no more than 25 games in a single previous season or six or more games in each of the previous seasons in a major professional league. Since the 1990-91 season, a player must not have reached the age of 26 by September 15 of the season in which he is eligible for the Calder Trophy.

Owen Power (Buffalo Sabres, Age: 19)

The 6-foot-6 defenseman made a good impression in his 8 appearances for Buffalo last season. He scored 2 goals and 1 assist in those games. The former first overall in the 2021 draft is a very good skater and does not hesitate to jump into the rush. He is also a strong shooter and can be effective on the power play. The Mississauga native will fit in well with the Sabre's young core. With Cozens, Dahlin, Mittelstadt, and even veteran Jeff Skinner, the Sabres should be interesting to watch next season. Buffalo may not be able to clinch a playoff spot next year, but they will continue their development.

NHL Comparables: Dougie Hamilton and Victor Hedman

Mason McTavish (Anaheim Ducks, Age: 19)

The center has played games for the Anaheim Ducks, San Diego Gulls, Peterborough Petes, and Hamilton Bulldogs. He should be more stable next season as he is expected to be a full-time NHLer. In his 9 games with the Ducks in the 2021-22 season, he has registered 2 goals and 1 assist. He has an excellent shot and good offensive instincts. He is also very reliable in the D-zone. Do not be surprised if McTavish steals the spotlight from Zegras next season.

NHL Comparable: Jeff Carter

Jack Quinn (Buffalo Sabres, Age: 20)

After a strong season with 61 points with the Rochester Americans (AHL), Jack Quinn will try to secure a spot in the Sabres squad. Selected 8th overall in 2020, the right winger can provide offense at any moment. He is an excellent puck carrier and has a quick release. Last year he played 8 games and scored 3 points with the Sabres. As mentioned above, Buffalo's core is promising, and Quinn will add even more potential to it.

NHL Comparable: David Pastrnak

Kent Johnson (Colombus Blue Jackets, Age: 19)

Drafted 5th overall in 2021 by the Colombus Blue Jackets, Kent Johnson is a key piece for the future of the franchise. Last season he played 9 games for the team. In those games, he was able to record 3 assists. The Canadian center is a creative forward with quick hands. He uses his size to his advantage and has a great vision of the game. With the recent signing of Johnny "Hockey" Gaudreau, who signed a seven-year contract, Columbus needs to be taken seriously next year. There is no guarantee that Gaudreau and Johnson will play together, but if it happens, the two could become a real nightmare for opposing teams.

NHL Comparable: Mikael Granlund

Juraj Slafkovsky (Montreal Canadiens, Age: 18)

An early Calder's candidate list would not be a proper list without the 2022 first overall pick. The Slovakian winger provides size, toughness, skill, and speed. At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the 6-foot-4 power forward scored 7 goals in 7 games. One thing he still needs to develop is his hockey IQ. Under Montreal coach Martin St-Louis, Slafkovsky will have every chance to succeed. Many Habs fans already see him play with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. Whether he will play in Montreal or Laval next season is still uncertain. The left winger will be an important piece of the Habs' rebuild.

NHL comparable: Mikko Rantanen and Jaromir Jagr

Vitali Kravtsov (New York Rangers, Age: 22)

The 22-year-old forward, who was selected 9th overall in the 2018 draft, has yet to play a full season in the NHL. Lately, he has spent most of his time in the KHL with the Chelyabinsk Traktor. Last season he scored 6 goals and 7 assists in 19 games in the Russian league. This summer he signed a one-year contract with the Rangers, hoping to establish himself in the NHL. The right-winger is a big, skilled forward with excellent speed. He also has good hands and is effective in his zone. Kravtsov can be used in many roles depending on the team's needs. At certain times, he can provide bring physicality and toughness. We will see if he can finally make his way into the Rangers lineup.

NHL comparable: Alex Kovalev

Matthew Beniers (Seattle Kraken, Age: 19)

In his 10 games for the Kraken last year, Beniers scored an impressive 9 points in 10 games. The former Michigan University Player, who was selected right after Owen Power in the 2021 draft, is a dynamic and versatile center. The two-way center plays with high intensity and is always on the move. He has great acceleration and vision of the game. His understanding of open space is impressive for a 19-year-old player. It'll probably take some time before Seattle is a competitive team in the NHL, but with Matthew Beniers and Shane Wright, the team has a bright future ahead of them at the center position.

NHL comparable: Patrice Bergeron

Luke Hughes (New Jersey Devils, Age: 18)

Selected 4th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2021 draft, the 6-foot-2 player is a skilled defenseman with top-notch skating ability. The brother of Jack and Quinn Hughes scored 39 points in 42 games last season for Michigan University. He's capable of doing it all on the ice: creating scoring chances for his teammates, scoring, and shutting down opposing players. With Dougie Hamilton, Damon Severson, newcomer John Marino, Simon Nemec, and Luke Hughes, the Devils will soon have one of the best defensive cores in the league. It'll be interesting to see if Hughes makes the jump to the NHL this year.

Honorable mentions to Shane Wright, Jakob Pelletier, Nick Robertson, Matthew Knies, Shane Pinto, Alex Turcotte, Lukas Reichel, William Eklund, and Marco Rossi.