Top 4 rookies who can still challenge Connor Bedard for the Calder Trophy

Connor Bedard has been one of the most outstanding rookie forwards over the last decade, and no other forward comes close to beating him for the Calder Trophy. Following the Blackhawks recent loss to the Los Angeles Kings, Bedard notched another point, giving him 54 in 55 appearances this season, 21 goals, 33 assists, and a solid 12.6 shooting percentage. 

Bedard may be turnover-prone, with 46 giveaways in those 55 games, but hey, there isn’t a single rookie in NHL history who hasn’t struggled in one avenue or another. Giveaways aside, Bedard still has 43 takeaways, 42 hits, and 21 blocked shots, which are all sound defensive numbers.

Looking at his overall basic statistics, don’t be surprised when Bedard becomes a perennial contender for the Hart, Selke, Ross, Lindsay, and Richard Trophies. For 2023-24, he can just focus on the Calder, and while it looks like he will be a shoo-in for the award, it’s not as clear-cut as you think. 

Connor Bedard is facing competition for the Calder Trophy

While there isn’t a single forward who will challenge to pass Bedard following another unforeseen injury plus a late-season surge from someone like Marco Rossi, there are two defensemen and two goaltenders, especially the final name on this slideshow, who not only can but will challenge Bedard. 

The defensemen listed are remarkable two-way players who will be strong candidates for the Norris Trophy a few years from today. As for the goaltenders, one has helped take their team further than anyone expected, and the other has been playing like a Vezina candidate. 

While Bedard remains the frontrunner for the Calder, he cannot afford to see his play drop from now until April. If that occurs and those listed in the following slides stay consistent, there will be an upset. 

Brock Faber has put up sensational numbers on both sides of the ice

After getting a two-game taste of the NHL last season, Brock Faber has taken his game up quite a few notches this season, playing in 70 games so far while recording 38 points, six goals, and 32 assists. Plus-minus isn’t a huge deal these days, but he’s also operating at a plus-3 while logging top-pairing minutes.

And wow, does he always know where the puck is going in the defensive zone? Faber has 133 blocks this season, tied for 32nd in the league as of March 21st with Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres. Dahlin, who took third for the Calder in 2019, has also garnered top-10 consideration for the Norris in the past, and his career serves as a good indicator of where Faber’s headed should the rookie keep up his current pace.

But Faber dramatically outplayed Dahlin in his first full season, as the Sabres star defenseman logged just 97 hits, 66 blocks, 44 points, and nine goals in 82 games. Faber has already passed or at least will likely pass Dahlin in all but one of these categories. 

Faber has also spent over 175 minutes on the power play and over 210 while Minnesota has been shorthanded. In those 70 contests, he’s helped the Wild snag 23 goals, and his shorthanded on-ice save percentage is a sensational 87.6 percent. 

Samuel Ersson has been an outstanding goaltender on an average team

Few thought highly of Samuel Ersson early this season, but the Philadelphia Flyers have been overachieving since they turned to him as their No. 1 goaltender earlier in the year. After posting so-so numbers that included an 0.899 save percentage, a 3.07 GAA, a 0.500 quality starts percentage, and a shutout, we didn’t know how well Ersson would fare this season. But he’s been one of the best among those eligible to take the Calder Trophy. 

The Flyers are not a good hockey team despite their position in the standings, and you only need to look at the way they struggle to score to know that, ranking 21st in the NHL with 206 goals for. To make matters worse, Philadelphia is top 10 in Corsi For at 5-on-5, and they are second in shots on goal, yet their 8.8 shooting percentage is the fourth-worst in the NHL.

The point? This team isn’t giving their rookie goaltender much room for error because they can’t score despite the number of shots they take per game. Ersson has felt the pressure numerous times this season through 40 appearances, yet he’s done an outstanding job of helping this team stay in contention. 

His overall numbers won’t wow you, with a 0.898 save percentage, a 2.68 GAA, and just 20 wins in 38 starts. But he also has three shutouts, plus a 0.579 quality starts percentage, and if he enjoys a few more stellar games, he will give Bedard serious competition. 

Pyotr Kochetkov has put up borderline Vezina numbers lately

If there is anyone on this list who has an outstanding chance to beat Connor Bedard for the Calder Trophy, Pyotr Kochetkov is that player. He has become the clear-cut No. 1 goaltender for a talented Carolina Hurricanes team that is still within striking distance of snagging the Presidents’ Trophy and the top overall seed for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

Carolina could, and probably should have, looked to trade for a goaltender as insurance at the deadline, especially given how turbulent the entire rotation has been this season. But here is Kochetkov, barely eligible for Calder consideration after playing in 24 games last year and logging a 0.909 save percentage, a 2.44 GAA, four shutouts, and a 0.565 quality starts percentage. 

Excellent numbers for such a young goaltender, and despite struggling earlier this season, Kochetkov has elevated his game to match this talented Hurricanes team. He has just 19 wins in 34 starts and 36 appearances, but his 0.913 save percentage, 2.36 GAA, three shutouts, and 0.588 quality starts percentage will give him outstanding consideration. 

Kochetkov may not have been completely consistent this season, but it shouldn’t matter - he’s not just one of the best Calder-eligible players this season; he’s one of the league’s fastest-rising goaltenders. 

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)