Calder Trophy Race: Johnny Gaudreau v Filip Forsberg & Ekblad too

[Tilley]

Living on the East Coast there is more talk about Gaudreau than Forsberg or Ekblad. He's putting up points, significantly contributing to a potential playoff team, and producing highlights that grab the attention of the media. If he can continue his strong play, he's got a good chance to take it.

[Resolute 14]

Who actually votes on the Calder? Is it the PHWA?

Ekblad has two major things going for him: He plays in the east, so voters see him more, and he is an 18-year-old defenceman who looks like he is 27 (or did as of a few weeks ago, I haven't seen many Panthers games since; will be watching tonight). What hurts him is playing in Florida.

Forsberg had the early season hype, but Gaudreau has been able to sustain that notoriety. And when hockey writers look at their stat packs this morning and see trivia like "Gaudreau first rookie to score 50 points in Calgary since Jarome Iginla", that could well have an impact. Plus, based on biases, Gaudreau should have the Calgary, Boston, Jersey and Philly votes.

[FlamesFanStrandedInEDM]

Originally Posted by Poe969

Wasn't it Brian Berard who won it over Iggy?

Was definitely Berard...

[Incogneto]

Yesterday, ESPN had an online chat with their hockey writers, and Craig Constance said the Calder race is between Forsberg and Ekblad. He felt the 3rd nomination was going to go to Hutchinson. When asked about Gaudreau, he brushed it off as a 'non-playoff team'.

He DID say that Hartley should win the Jack Adams, though.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by InCoGnEtO

Yesterday, ESPN had an online chat with their hockey writers, and Craig Constance said the Calder race is between Forsberg and Ekblad. He felt the 3rd nomination was going to go to Hutchinson. When asked about Gaudreau, he brushed it off as a 'non-playoff team'.

He DID say that Hartley should win the Jack Adams, though.

One by one these guys are capitulating and realizing what idiots they are...this guy's time will come soon.

[Dienasty]

Originally Posted by InCoGnEtO

Yesterday, ESPN had an online chat with their hockey writers, and Craig Constance said the Calder race is between Forsberg and Ekblad. He felt the 3rd nomination was going to go to Hutchinson. When asked about Gaudreau, he brushed it off as a 'non-playoff team'.

He DID say that Hartley should win the Jack Adams, though.

Since when is Florida+Ekblad a playoff team?

[Robbob]

especially when yesterday we were sitting in a playoff position!

[CroFlames]

How the hell does Johnny not have a multi-million dollar endorsement from Skittles? Is skittles the only major company not taking notice of Johnny? Visa did.

[mdubz]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

He might be 18, but he's also listed at 6'4 and 216lbs. He's essentially bigger than most 25 year olds. Hell, he's about the same size as Joe Colborne. If you're going to treat being 18 as a handicap, then treat his physical gifts as a similar kind of boon.

Now, if by him being 18 you mean it means he must have amazing potential, sure I agree. But it shouldn't be a factor in deciding who the rookie of the year is.

Age should definitely be considered. Someone like Ekblad is accomplishing great feats despite having less years of hockey playing experience/maturity.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by mdubz

Age should definitely be considered. Someone like Ekblad is accomplishing great feats despite having less years of hockey playing experience/maturity.

The prize is for best rookie, not the player who is doing the best for his age.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by troutman

The prize is for best rookie, not the player who is doing the best for his age.

Nor is it for the player who is doing the best for his height. Johnny is one of, and possibly the shortest, slightest players to ever play in the league but like I said in my earlier post I'm not giving him bonus points for that.

Whether it's Johnny, Klingberg, Forsberg, or Ekblad, the trophy should go to the player who is a qualifying rookie who had the best year.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by mdubz

Age should definitely be considered. Someone like Ekblad is accomplishing great feats despite having less years of hockey playing experience/maturity.

To add to that, every year in the Calder race, it is usually a blend of dynamic young forwards who appear and take the league by storm and are the front runners.

2014 Nominees
Nathan Mackinnon - C
Tyler Johnson - C
Andrej Palat - LW

2013 Nominees
Jonathan Huberdeau - C
Brendan Gallagher - RW
Brandon Saad - LW

2012 Nominees
Gabriel Landeskog - LW
Ryan Nugent Hopkins - C
Adam Henrique - C

In fact the last D to get a nomination was Tyler Myers in 2010. Before him...Dion Phaneuf in 2006. So only 2 defenseman nomination in the last 10 years.

A player of Ekblad's quality in his position at the age of 18/19 is so incredibly rare. Especially playing on the 1st pairing. It just doesn't happen as often as a rookie forward coming in and contributing. That's why I personally have him as the front-runner. Again, I would be ecstatic if Johnny won. But what Ekblad is doing is very rare and might not happen again for a while.

[Red Menace]

Monahan didn't get any bonus pts for being an 18 yr old last year....they voted for the older guys.
BTW John Klingberg (age 22) has passed Ekblad in Rookie D scoring, and he's played 12 fewer games.
Ekblad will still outvote him...but I do think Ekblad's chances of winning are declining with his recent play.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Dienasty

Since when is Florida+Ekblad a playoff team?

This is why - beyond his actual play - Ekblad has a real chance. There is such a perception skew because eastern guys like Custance don't see the western teams very often, and voters vote on impressions.

[Imported_Aussie]

Gaudreau vs Forsberg in terms of counting scoring stats is virtually a wash.
Gaudreau has more name recognition, but I feel if those two are hard to separate, votes get split, which means Ekblad comes in first.
Really, this is a great year and any of these guys would be deserving.
You have to go back to Kane/Backstrom IMO to find a better rookie season from a pair of forwards.
of course the 2 years before that were great (Malkin/Stastny) and epic (Crosby/Ovechkin)

[mdubz]

Originally Posted by troutman

The prize is for best rookie, not the player who is doing the best for his age.

I never said that was the only factor, but was arguing that it should be considered. Thanks for coming out.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by mdubz

I never said that was the only factor, but was arguing that it should be considered. Thanks for coming out.

well it never has in the past so they can't start now

Forsberg played pro hockey all last year and even some NHL games maybe that should work against him

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Imported_Aussie

Gaudreau vs Forsberg in terms of counting scoring stats is virtually a wash.
Gaudreau has more name recognition, but I feel if those two are hard to separate, votes get split, which means Ekblad comes in first.
Really, this is a great year and any of these guys would be deserving.
You have to go back to Kane/Backstrom IMO to find a better rookie season from a pair of forwards.
of course the 2 years before that were great (Malkin/Stastny) and epic (Crosby/Ovechkin)

Vote splitting isn't an issue here, since it isn't a first past the post vote.

If there are 30 voters, and 15 have Forsberg first and Gaudreau second, but the other 15 have it in reverse, then all of Ekblad's third place votes still leaves him in third place.

What would skew the numbers is if, say, a Florida writer puts Ekblad first and drops Gaudreau and Forsberg down to ninth and tenth on his ballot. That is what the Montreal voter did to screw Iginla out of the Hart.

[Matata]

Ekblad's scoring has cooled down a lot, if he doesn't heat up again before the end of the season, I see the award going to the highest scoring player.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

This is why - beyond his actual play - Ekblad has a real chance. There is such a perception skew because eastern guys like Custance don't see the western teams very often, and voters vote on impressions.

If there's ever a western-conference candidate who can not only negate the east-coast media bias, but also win because of his own hype, Johnny is it.

Out of all the rookies, he has by far received the most media attention. Profiles and interviews from all the big sports networks and publications, stories in major newspapers like the NY Times, he's got a catchy-nickname that even the most lazy voter remembers, he's a great underdog story because of his size, he is a college legend in most densely populated part of the continent... and he's also been at the top of the rookie chase all year long, so he's consistently been in the spotlight.

Too be honest, I personally haven't heard much mention of Ekblad in the media. He might play in the east, but he also plays in the blackhole of the NHL. Based on his stats and what he has done, I'd give him the award myself...but if Johnny manages to be at the top of the Points/Goals race, I think it's exactly the media attention that will tip the scales in his favor.