Pettersson, Dahlin, Binnington named Calder finalists
It was a very good year for rookies in the NHL, and on Saturday afternoon the league announced the three finalists for the Calder Trophy.
Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks is considered by many to be the lead choice to take home the hardware, and for good reason. The 5th overall pick of the 2017 draft set a franchise rookie record with 66 points in his first season, despite missing 11 games due to injury. He was a force night-in and night-out for the team, leading the Canucks in goals, assists, and points.
2018 1st overall pick Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres also impressed in his freshman year, tallying 44 points from the blue line, chipping in nine goals while playing more than 21 minutes per game. The Sabres finally took some steps forward toward becoming a playoff team this season, and Dahlin’s play at the back is a big reason why.
While Pettersson and Dahlin were big name prospects that were expected to step right in and produce, the road has not been as quick for Jordan Binnington. The St. Louis Blues goaltender took over the crease in December and did not cede the starting job back after settling in. He posted a .927 save percentage, good for fourth in the NHL, and sported a league-leading 1.89 goals against average over 30 starts. It has been a long trek to this spot for Binnington, who was a 3rd round pick all the way back in 2011.
The award winners will be announced June 19th at the NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas.
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