Leaving the rest of the article behind the paywall, but here’s the relevant section:
What makes the Calder Trophy race so fun this season is the philosophical debate between the Connor Bedard voters and the Brock Faber voters.
The Bedard voters will say their guy has 58 points in 61 games, despite missing a chunk of the season to a broken jaw. As of Wednesday night, he led all rookies in points and goals. His 0.95 points-per-game average puts him among the top 50 scorers. He did all of this on a terrible Chicago team, which explains why he’s a minus-38. He did all of this as an 18-year-old, having spent three years in Canadian junior hockey, rather than having three seasons of NCAA hockey experience and entering the NHL as a 21-year-old like Faber.
The Faber voters will say he is sixth in the NHL in average time on ice with 25 minutes per game through 74 games. Not for rookies, not for defensemen, but for all NHL players. His 41 points ranks him third among all first-year players. He’s stepped in and played a vital role for the Wild, exceeding expectations and having a remarkable rookie season for a defenseman. Bedard, while clearly destined for superstardom, didn’t meet them to have the kind of transcendent rookie season his first overall pick status portended.
Faber tied Bedard in the February NHL Awards Watch, grabbing the spotlight while the Blackhawks phenom was injured. He nudged ahead of him last month. **Now, in the season’s final weeks, Faber collected 54% of the first-place votes to Bedard’s 46% to lead the Calder race.**
“The award is for ‘most proficient’ rookie. When healthy, Bedard has been the class’s most proficient offensive player,” one voter explained. “Yet, Faber’s overall body of work is outstanding, and in my mind at this moment, more proficient on aggregate.”
Some Faber voters simply said his exceptional season can’t be ignored.
“What Connor Bedard is doing is rare, but a rookie finishing top-10 in the NHL in ice time is even more rare,” one Faber voter noted.
“I thought Connor Bedard would be a lock if he returned to good health. He’s had his moments as a close to point-per-game player. But he’s a minus-39. Whether you value the stat or not, that’s indicative of some real issues playing a two-way game,” another voter argued. “It was going to take a very strong rookie season to wrest the Calder away from Bedard, and Faber may have just done that with a truly impressive first NHL season.”
Some Bedard voters are starting to believe it might be the other guy’s time.
“I’m starting to accept it could be Faber,” one voter said.
“Bedard is the clear leader, but both Hughes and Faber have been remarkable,” another allowed.
Hughes didn’t receive a first-place vote, but was prominently mentioned by several voters as a runner-up. He’s second among all rookies with 43 points in 76 games, with 27 points scored running New Jersey’s power play after Dougie Hamilton was lost for the season to injury. He’s a minus-24, but has given the Devils 21:24 of ice time per game, and has showed flashes of the offensive star the team believes he can be on the back end.
Other rookies mentioned by voters included Wild center Marco Rossi, who could end up first in rookie goals; Carolina goalie Pyotr Kochetkov; Flyers forward Tyson Foerster; and defenseman Pavel Mintyukov of the Anaheim Ducks.
But it’s a two-player race. And some Bedard voters are still convinced that when the votes are counted, it’ll be the phenom over the minutes-eater.
“Bedard with a bullet,” one voter opined.
“The prophecy will be fulfilled,” another quipped.
OMGitsKatV
If we thought the pissing and moaning of Robertson fans were bad when Kaprizov won. Imagine the Bedard boys if Faber won it.
cisforcookie2112
I’d love it if Faber won but I would also be extremely shocked. Defense has always been under appreciated.
4four4MN
Well if they were smart. Ha ha ha.
jordynbebus8
the meltdown would be crazy
castlerod
it is really weird as a Wild fan having two players in the Calder race, no i don’t think Rossi is close to winning it, but his name is in the conversation
Feeblemind101
I think it’s just cool we have 2 guys in the running. Faber could even take the Calder which is crazy considering Beddard was preordained.
Datalust5
I would love it if this happened, but did they poll everyone who votes? If not, who did they choose/not choose? If it WAS everyone, then the awards ceremony is going to be very interesting
8 Comments
Leaving the rest of the article behind the paywall, but here’s the relevant section:
What makes the Calder Trophy race so fun this season is the philosophical debate between the Connor Bedard voters and the Brock Faber voters.
The Bedard voters will say their guy has 58 points in 61 games, despite missing a chunk of the season to a broken jaw. As of Wednesday night, he led all rookies in points and goals. His 0.95 points-per-game average puts him among the top 50 scorers. He did all of this on a terrible Chicago team, which explains why he’s a minus-38. He did all of this as an 18-year-old, having spent three years in Canadian junior hockey, rather than having three seasons of NCAA hockey experience and entering the NHL as a 21-year-old like Faber.
The Faber voters will say he is sixth in the NHL in average time on ice with 25 minutes per game through 74 games. Not for rookies, not for defensemen, but for all NHL players. His 41 points ranks him third among all first-year players. He’s stepped in and played a vital role for the Wild, exceeding expectations and having a remarkable rookie season for a defenseman. Bedard, while clearly destined for superstardom, didn’t meet them to have the kind of transcendent rookie season his first overall pick status portended.
Faber tied Bedard in the February NHL Awards Watch, grabbing the spotlight while the Blackhawks phenom was injured. He nudged ahead of him last month. **Now, in the season’s final weeks, Faber collected 54% of the first-place votes to Bedard’s 46% to lead the Calder race.**
“The award is for ‘most proficient’ rookie. When healthy, Bedard has been the class’s most proficient offensive player,” one voter explained. “Yet, Faber’s overall body of work is outstanding, and in my mind at this moment, more proficient on aggregate.”
Some Faber voters simply said his exceptional season can’t be ignored.
“What Connor Bedard is doing is rare, but a rookie finishing top-10 in the NHL in ice time is even more rare,” one Faber voter noted.
“I thought Connor Bedard would be a lock if he returned to good health. He’s had his moments as a close to point-per-game player. But he’s a minus-39. Whether you value the stat or not, that’s indicative of some real issues playing a two-way game,” another voter argued. “It was going to take a very strong rookie season to wrest the Calder away from Bedard, and Faber may have just done that with a truly impressive first NHL season.”
Some Bedard voters are starting to believe it might be the other guy’s time.
“I’m starting to accept it could be Faber,” one voter said.
“Bedard is the clear leader, but both Hughes and Faber have been remarkable,” another allowed.
Hughes didn’t receive a first-place vote, but was prominently mentioned by several voters as a runner-up. He’s second among all rookies with 43 points in 76 games, with 27 points scored running New Jersey’s power play after Dougie Hamilton was lost for the season to injury. He’s a minus-24, but has given the Devils 21:24 of ice time per game, and has showed flashes of the offensive star the team believes he can be on the back end.
Other rookies mentioned by voters included Wild center Marco Rossi, who could end up first in rookie goals; Carolina goalie Pyotr Kochetkov; Flyers forward Tyson Foerster; and defenseman Pavel Mintyukov of the Anaheim Ducks.
But it’s a two-player race. And some Bedard voters are still convinced that when the votes are counted, it’ll be the phenom over the minutes-eater.
“Bedard with a bullet,” one voter opined.
“The prophecy will be fulfilled,” another quipped.
If we thought the pissing and moaning of Robertson fans were bad when Kaprizov won. Imagine the Bedard boys if Faber won it.
I’d love it if Faber won but I would also be extremely shocked. Defense has always been under appreciated.
Well if they were smart. Ha ha ha.
the meltdown would be crazy
it is really weird as a Wild fan having two players in the Calder race, no i don’t think Rossi is close to winning it, but his name is in the conversation
I think it’s just cool we have 2 guys in the running. Faber could even take the Calder which is crazy considering Beddard was preordained.
I would love it if this happened, but did they poll everyone who votes? If not, who did they choose/not choose? If it WAS everyone, then the awards ceremony is going to be very interesting