NHL Calder Trophy Update: The competition at the top is insane
The 2025-26 Calder Trophy race was over the minute it started.
Matthew Schaefer broke in as an 18-year-old defenseman and immediately took the hockey world by storm. He was easily the best rookie in October and never looked back, nearly unanimously taking home the coveted hardware.
This year? It’s looking wide open. The top choice on this list, Jacob Fowler, started the year in the AHL. Heck, Dylan Garand was on waivers before suddenly getting thrust into the New York Rangers’ starting gig. It’s often hard for the year’s previous draft picks to make big splashes early, but we’ve got two in the top five here.
And hey, a tight battle is more fun, right? We’ve got a little bit of everything so far, from stout goaltenders to puck-moving defenders and high-flying wingers. Let’s look at the top 10 rookies from the month of October:
1. Jacob Fowler, G (Montreal Canadiens)
Fowler started the year in Laval, with Jakub Dobeš and Samuel Montembeault handling duties with the big club. But with Dobeš’ struggles and Montembeault’s injury, Fowler has seemingly taken over as the man to beat. The 21-year-old is 7-1-0 with two shutouts and a .932 save percentage, with his 46-save shutout against St. Louis being one of the standout goalie performances of the season. This is as good a start from a rookie as we’ve seen, and it’s happening to a guy who opened the year tending the twine for Laval. There’s no chance he’s going back, though – not only is he the top rookie right now, but he’s legitimately a top-five goalie, period.
2. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, LW (Detroit Red Wings)
The Norwegian superstar is off to an incredible start in Detroit. Brandsegg-Nygård is tracking for more than 50 points while also putting himself on pace for fourth all-time among single-season hits. Add in the fact that he’s playing some strong defensive hockey, and it’s hard to say that Brandsegg-Nygård hasn’t been one of the most consistent rookies this season. He has been a fixture in the top six early on, with his best work coming alongside Emmitt Finnie and Alex DeBrincat. Given he’s near the top of all of Detroit’s metrics this year, the club has to be thrilled with how the hard-working winger has shown up early on.
3. James Hagens, RW (Boston Bruins)
Hagens was a natural center throughout junior and college, but it’s never easy for a young player to come in and take on the added responsibility as a rookie. So it’s been nice watching Hagens thrive in a third-line role, where he has managed to put up 11 points through 15 games. That’s about a 60-point pace, which would be the second-best output by a Bruins rookie of the 21st century (Brad Boyes had 69 points in 2005-06). Hagens is a reliable two-way forward who thinks the game at such a high level. He’s extremely quick, too, and he’s not afraid to use the middle of the ice, unlike some other young stars. Hagens has been one of the NHL’s most consistent rookies, and it’s only a matter of time until he pushes himself up the lineup. For now, the Bruins are a wagon, and Hagens is giving them the extra scoring depth they needed.
4. Gavin McKenna, LW (Toronto Maple Leafs)
McKenna has had his ups and downs, which is exactly what you’d expect from an 18-year-old, regardless of pedigree. But when he’s hot, he’s unstoppable, just like he proved in his two-goal, three-point performance against Seattle near the end of October. He’s tied with Hagens for first in rookie scoring, which was mostly aided by his four-game point streak near the start of the month. We’ve seen McKenna bounce around Toronto’s lineup, but he looked at his best alongside Auston Matthews later in the month. McKenna has such an immense amount of skill, and he’s capable of thriving alongside other top talents, too – something that’s easier said than done for a young player.
5. Trevor Connelly, LW (Vegas Golden Knights)
Connelly has been a high-end producer at nearly every level – except the NCAA, of all places. He’s tracking for more than 50 points in Vegas, with a few multi-point efforts helping the cause. Connelly is a strong skater who can fire the puck from anywhere and create offense better than most 20-year-olds. Physically, he can hold his own, but he’s known more for doing whatever it takes to get himself out of danger along the boards. Connelly feels like a future 70-80-point forward in the NHL, and it’s only a matter of time until the consistency follows. He’s a blast to watch.
6. Ivar Stenberg, LW (San Jose Sharks)
Defensively, it hasn’t been an easy season for Stenberg. But it’s been a blast watching him pull off some of the moves he has made this year. And, maybe more importantly, he’s tracking for around 60 points. Stenberg entered the year as one of the clear favorites for the Calder thanks to his pro experience in Sweden, and, legitimately, he has become one of the most exciting players to watch. The Sharks are still a bit of a jumbled mess right now, but when Stenberg is at his best, the Sharks are better for it. He’s also playing quite a bit, too, averaging more than 16 minutes a night. He’s glued to Macklin Celebrini on the top line now – that’s a fun pair. If Stenberg was your pick for the Calder, hold strong there – it feels like a breakout is looming.
7. Cole Hutson, LHD (Washington Capitals)
Hutson hasn’t made as big of a splash as his brother did when he broke into the NHL. But Hutson could still finish with around 40 points, which would be remarkable. Hutson has been on Washington’s third pair for the most part, but he has done a solid job on the second power-play unit while averaging 19:04 a night. That’s asking a lot out of a rookie, even an “older” one at 20 years old. But Hutson has the skill, skating and poise to hang with the best of them. Don’t be surprised if Hutson ends up becoming a legitimate top-five candidate for the Calder by December.
8. Anton Frondell, C (Chicago Blackhawks)
It’s not easy being a rookie and stepping into a top-six role immediately, even with previous pro experience. But Frondell has been solid for the Hawks, playing around a 40-point pace while averaging close to 17 minutes a night as the No. 2 center. He’s still figuring out the grind of the NHL, obviously. But the strong, two-way center has been a handful to contain on the rush and loves firing one-timers. The Blackhawks have struggled to produce, but Frondell has been legitimately one of Chicago’s most intriguing scoring threats early on. Even if he doesn’t win the Calder, he has as good a shot as anyone on this list at becoming a star NHLer thanks to his all-around upside.
9. Oliver Bonk, RHD (Philadelphia Flyers)
Bonk started the year in Lehigh Valley before getting called up in early October. He quickly established himself as an important piece of the puzzle, often playing more than 20 minutes a night while showcasing his high-end puck-moving abilities. There’s no chance he gets sent back down to the AHL; he’s playing with so much confidence right now. The Flyers aren’t a real playoff contender at this point, but Bonk has been a bright spot on the team’s third pair. His skating looks improved, he’s doing well physically, and executing smarter, heads-up passes than we’ve ever seen from him. He’s legit.
10. Dylan Garand, G (New York Rangers)
Garand’s numbers have fallen a bit in recent weeks. But think of the situation he was thrust into: he went from going on waivers and expecting to spend the year in the AHL, only to become the starter a week into the season due to a season-ending injury to Igor Shesterkin. He has had a number of standout performances, highlighted by a 22-save shutout in his season debut before some outstanding efforts against Tampa Bay and Anaheim, among others. It felt like the Rangers were relying on him too much, though, and that expecting a 24-year-old with no starter experience to lead the charge might have been too tough pf an ask (and the rest of the team has struggled, too). He has made a good enough argument to suggest he belongs on a full-time basis, but maybe in more of a backup role once Joonas Korpisalo returns.
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