Five Calder Trophy Candidates For the 2023-24 NHL Season

Last season, Seattle Kraken sensation Matty Beniers was the winner of the coveted Calder Memorial Trophy. This year, there are many standout names on the NHL rookie list that have a legitimate shot of winning the award. With just about two weeks until the competition begins, below are five likely candidates for the 2023-24 season:

Connor Bedard, C, Chicago Blackhawks

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What would the rookie conversation be without Connor Bedard? The most recent first-overall pick looks to not only be one of the best newcomers in the league, but one of the best players in general. The 18-year-old has been called a "generational talent” for years before even having his name called on draft day. Most recently, Bedard scored a casual 143 points in the WHL, the most from a player in a singular season since 1995-96. Only a few days into Blackhawks training camp, the rookie has already gotten high praises from several veterans and coaches with the team. Despite being a member of a struggling Chicago squad, Connor Bedard is the top candidate for the Calder as of right now and there is a high chance that it remains that way.

Adam Fantilli, C, Columbus Blue Jackets

Like his fellow 2023 top draft pick Bedard, Adam Fantilli has been in the Calder Trophy conversation long before he stepped foot in the NHL. The Blue Jackets rookie just came off of a Hobey Baker-winning season as a freshman at the University of Michigan, with 65 points in only 36 games played. Those 65 points were spread pretty evenly as the center racked up 30 goals and 35 assists. While the Anaheim Ducks stunned the hockey world and opted to draft Swedish center Leo Carlsson with the second pick this summer, Fantilli fell into the lap of Columbus. Likely looking to prove Anaheim wrong and compete with Bedard, Adam Fantilli is another obvious and exciting name to watch for in the Calder competition.

Luke Hughes, D, New Jersey Devils

With some regular season and playoff experience under his belt, Luke Hughes is a frontrunner for the rookie honor in 2024 as well. Hughes debuted with the Devils just days after his sophomore season at the University of Michigan came to an end. Hughes was able to learn from and play with older brother Jack on an electrifying New Jersey club, and will continue to do so this year. His first goal in the league came as an overtime winner against the Washington Capitals to close out the regular season. He then played in the second round series against the Carolina Hurricanes which ended in an exit, but Hughes was extremely noticeable in his defensive play. If this half of the New Jersey brother duo can build off of his fantastic start just a few months ago, there is no reason why his name won’t be in talks to win the Calder Trophy.

Logan Cooley, C, Arizona Coyotes

Former 2022 third-overall pick Logan Cooley has all of the tools to become the next winner of the award that Beniers currently holds. The rookie’s freshman campaign at the University of Minnesota ended up being quite successful. He finished it with 22 goals and 38 assists for a total of 60 points in 39 games, and a trip to the championship round. After choosing to make the jump to the NHL instead of returning to Minnesota this season, Cooley has not waited one minute to make an impression on his new team. In the Global Series preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Kings in Melbourne, the 19-year-old center tallied a highlight-reel goal to win the game for the Coyotes. Despite not being a top frontrunner like Bedard and Fantilli, Logan Cooley is a star in the making and should absolutely be on the Calder radar.

Devon Levi, G, Buffalo Sabres

Of the five names on this list, Devon Levi is definitely the dark horse. However, it is entirely possibly that the 21-year-old goaltender could take home the honor. Levi recently finished his sophomore year at Northeastern University where he earned a 0.933 save percentage and won the Mike Richter Award for the second year in a row. He then played seven games with the Buffalo Sabres after Northeastern’s season came to a close and collected five wins. As a team that just barely missed the postseason a few months ago, the Sabres have one of the best chances to make that leap of those that were on the cusp. With a young, entertaining roster, Buffalo can have success in 2023-24 and so can its starting goaltender. Every NHL fan should keep an eye out for Devon Levi because he may just be ending the season with some hardware.