Alex Nedeljkovic, Kirill Kaprizov, and Jason Robertson named Calder Trophy finalists

The NHL has announced the finalists for the 2021 Calder Trophy, awarded annually to the league’s top rookie: @Alex Nedeljkovic, @Kirill Kaprizov, and @Jason Robertson.

Robertson was drafted in the second round of the 2017 draft by the Dallas Stars and broke into the league this season after a strong rookie performance in the AHL in 2019-20. Robertson, a big, skilled right-winger, scored 17 goals and finished second on the Stars with 45 points.

Kaprizov, much like @Artemi Panarin a few years ago, is nominated for NHL’s rookie of the year after taking the league by storm in his first season after coming over from the KHL. The Wild drafted Kaprizov in the fifth round of the 2015 draft and he spent five seasons in the KHL before making the trip. He led the Wild with 27 goals and 51 points.

Finally, there’s Nedeljkovic, the best story of the three. A second-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2014, Nedeljkovic cleared through waivers at the beginning of the season. As @Petr Mrazek missed the majority of the season due to injury, Nedeljkovic stepped up his game and played a huge role in Carolina’s excellent season, posting a .932 save percentage over 23 games.