When the NHL season began last October, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine were the odds-on favorites to win the 2017 Calder Trophy. As the season went on, it became painfully obvious - to everyone outside of Winnipeg - that Auston Matthews was going to win the award in a landslide.
This season, the Rookie of the Year race is much more wide open. An argument can be made for a number of youngsters to win the trophy. First overall pick Nico Hischier will likely be in the running, but there are a number of older rookies that likely have a better chance of winning - not to mention Grandpa Jost’s little boy.