The Calder Trophy for the NHL’s top rookie projects to be one of the more contested NHL awards this coming season. In years past, the award has gone to many deserving first-year players. This season with a deep rookie class and a number of young players making the jump to the NHL, it will be interesting to see who puts together the best season.
Auston Matthews opens as this year’s favorite at +600. The talented center, a native of Scottsdale, Arizona, was selected 1st overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs hope he is the key to getting back to being a competitive franchise again. Matthews is widely considered to be the most NHL ready player drafted, and is expected to play the entire season in Toronto.
Just behind Mathews is the Finnish sensation Patrik Laine at +700. Laine was the obvious #2 pick, and a potentially dominant goal scorer. Laine has drawn comparisons to Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin. He should see plenty of quality minutes and power play time playing with the Winnipeg Jets.
After Matthews and Laine it gets a bit more interesting.
Mitch Marner at +900 and William Nylander +1100 both play for the Leafs. Having so many Toronto players on this list might confirm that GM Brendan Shanahan is doing something right. Marner absolutely tore up the OHL last season. He would be more of a favorite to win the Calder if it was certain that he’d make the opening day roster. However concern is that he may still be a little undersized. The team may want him to mature a bit more physically before bringing him up on a full time basis.
Past the pair of talented Leafs are the Phoenix Coyotes Dylan Strome, and the Edmonton Oilers Jesse Puljujarvi. Both players opened at +1400 odds.
According to Grizzly Gaming’s Russell Potvin, these two players might represent the best value bets to make at the online casinos in Canada. Strome in particular. The third overall pick in 2015 put up 240 points over the past two seasons in the OHL and will be expected to make a significant contribution as a rookie in Arizona.
That all said, there is always a chance that next year produces another Artemi Panarin. A under the radar player who dominates the race from start to finish. Though it seems unlikely given this years’ list of exceptionally strong top-ranked prospects.