Trophy Tracker: Calder

To mark the three-quarter point of the 2021-22 regular season, NHL.com is running its fourth installment of the Trophy Tracker series. Today, we look at the race for the Calder Trophy, given annually to the NHL rookie of the year as selected in a poll by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Moritz Seider has gone from surprise selection to arguably the best defenseman from the 2019 NHL Draft.
Seider, who was the second defenseman off the board when chosen No. 6 by the Detroit Red Wings, leads all players at the position from that draft in just about every statistical category, including points (41), assists (36), power-play points (17), blocked shots (116) and hits (96). His five goals are tied for first with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram, selected with the No. 4 pick in 2019.
Seider is first among all NHL rookies this season in assists (36) and average ice time (23:02 per game), and fourth with 41 points in 59 games.
A right-hand shot who plays on Detroit's top defense pair with Nick Leddy, Seider is the favorite among NHL.com writers for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year at the three-quarter mark of the season. He received 70 voting points, including 13 of 15 first-place votes.
"He's got tons of physical abilities, he's a big guy, he can skate, he's athletic, he's got a good skill set from a hockey standpoint," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "I think without improving, Moritz could be a good player in this league. But that's not what anybody wants; him or us. We just want to make sure that we're continuing to push him, even as he has early success."
Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond finished second with 42 points, including one first-place vote. Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras was third with 41, including the one remaining first-place vote. Toronto Maple Leafs forward Michael Bunting was fourth (32 points), and Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell was fifth (18 points).
Blashill was asked which player has had the biggest impact for the Red Wings (24-28-7) among Seider and Raymond, who plays right wing on the top line with center Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi.
"I'll let other people determine that, that's not necessarily for me to say," Blashill said. "There's some real good rookies throughout the League but I certainly would argue with anybody that our guys have had an impact in our success greater than probably anybody outside of our organization, but certainly both have had big impacts.
Raymond is second among NHL rookies with 45 points (18 goals, 27 assists) in 59 games.
"I think it's great for our organization that we've had two young players come in and have had the impact they've had and I don't think anything was really given to them," Blashill said. "I think they've kind of demanded it through their play, both through the preseason, or in previous seasons and I think they both have had real good impacts."
Seider, who turns 21 on April 6, scored 22 points (two goals, 20 assists) in 49 games with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League in 2019-20. In 41 games with Rogle of the Swedish Hockey League last season, he scored 28 points (seven goals, 21 assists), led the team with 91 hits and was third with 45 blocked shots. He was named the top defenseman in the SHL, the top professional men's league in Sweden.
"I thought he had an edge and was physical in the American League and, watching the Swedish Hockey League, he had a definite physicality with Rogle," Blashill said. "I also think it's going to come even more as he continues to build that 20-year-old body into a 22-year-old body. I think he's going to ultimately put on more mass, add power and put on more strength and, as he does, he'll be an even bigger factor."
Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis): Moritz Seider, Detroit Red Wings, 70 points (13 first-place votes); Lucas Raymond, Red Wings, 42 (1); Trevor Zegras, Anaheim Ducks, 41 (1); Michael Bunting, Toronto Maple Leafs, 32; Anton Lundell, Florida Panthers, 18; Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins, 17; Tanner Jeannot, Nashville Predators, 5.