NHL Rankings: 5 Western Conference Calder Candidates

It’s time to take a look at the future NHL stars as my weekly power rankings segment continues. This week’s power rankings list takes a look at the five best Calder Trophy candidates in the Western Conference.

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Western Conference teams had only four picks inside the top 10 in the draft and only two of the top eight selections. However, the Edmonton Oilers landed the best prospect in Connor McDavid, who some scouts claim will be the next Sidney Crosby.

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A couple of trends to note with the award: The trophy has stayed mainly with the East since 2006, as the annual rookie of the year has come from an Eastern Conference team seven times during the past 10 seasons. Another odd trend is that the last four Calder trophies have alternated between the Colorado Avalanche and the Florida Panthers, with Florida’s Aaron Ekblad winning the award last season. If that trend continues, then Mikko Rantanen, the 10th overall pick by Colorado, could be in store for some hardware.

Here’s a look at the top five Western Conference candidates to win the Calder Trophy this upcoming season.

Next: No. 5: Denis Gurianov

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