We’re only two weeks into the regular season schedule, but the Calder Trophy race is already shaping up to be thrilling.
Three names stand out above the rest: Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov, New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, and Minnesota Wild defenseman Zeev Buium.
The first two were already seen as early Calder favorites before the season began, and they’ve lived up to the hype.
Ivan Demidov
Demidov has been excellent for Montreal, recording 9 points in 10 games while averaging just 13:58 of ice time per night. Head coach Martin St. Louis has been easing the 19-year-old Russian into a bigger role, careful not to overload him with responsibilities too soon in his first true season with the Canadiens.
Still, his production has been impressive, especially considering he only joined the top power-play unit in Montreal’s most recent game against Vancouver, where he notched three points, including two on the man advantage.
Demidov also ranks tied for fourth in the league in primary assists with six. In fact, six of his seven total assists have directly led to goals. His evolution and usage will be fascinating to watch in the coming weeks and months, and his trajectory seems entirely positive. Barring a major injury, Demidov looks like a near-lock to be among the Calder finalists.
Matthew Schaefer
While many expected a strong start from Demidov, the same can be applied to Matthew Schaefer, even though his expectations were not as high as Demidov’s. The Islanders took him as the first overall pick in the latest draft, and he has enormous potential. Still, few predicted he’d post 7 points in his first 8 NHL games while averaging 23:12 of ice time per night, the 37th highest in the entire league and the most among rookies.
Schaefer has impressed not just with his offensive numbers, but with his remarkable poise and maturity for an 18-year-old. He plays like a ten-year veteran, making few turnovers, driving clean breakouts, supporting his forwards, and showing an elite work ethic. Patrick Roy has already given him major responsibilities, and Schaefer has handled them like a pro.
Long known for their dull, defense-first style, the Islanders are third in the NHL in goals per game (3.75), and Schaefer’s smooth skating and efficient zone exits have been a key factor in that transformation.
Buium is a dark horse
If Demidov and Schaefer seem like near-certainties for Calder contention, Zeev Buium is more of a dark horse, but he’s quietly building a strong case.
The Wild defenseman has 8 points in 10 games, a -8 rating, and averages 20:01 of ice time per night, solid numbers for a rookie blueliner.
Like Demidov, Buium joins a team that already has established talent on both ends of the ice. Therefore, his role isn’t as prominent as Schaefer’s, who benefits from a larger opportunity on a rebuilding Islanders squad.
Buium ran Minnesota’s top power-play unit for his first eight games before giving up that spot to captain Jared Spurgeon and occasionally Brock Faber, as the Wild tried to spark their offense amid a losing streak.
Still, as mentioned earlier, Buium is in a learning phase. Therefore, his development curve will likely be slower than Schaefer’s because their team contexts are so different. Minnesota is fighting for a playoff spot, while the Islanders are focused on rebuilding, despite their unexpectedly strong start.
Buium continues to do an excellent job defensively. He rarely gets caught in his own zone by turnovers, loves to jump into the rush, and carries the puck confidently through the neutral zone. The Wild have long struggled to generate offense from the back end, but with Buium, they finally have a young gem on defense.
The key for him is patience. Buium sits second in rookie scoring, just behind Demidov. Expectations among Wild fans are high, and frustration is growing as the team has managed only 3 wins in 10 games.
Still, Buium isn’t to blame, and fans know it. They recognize that he’s been one of the team’s bright spots, and if he keeps this up, he could very well find himself in the top three Calder finalists by season’s end.