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Calder 2011

Today will be the nomination announcements for the 2010 Calder Trophy.  If the early playoff results are any indication, perhaps the best player to debut in the 2009/10 season will not be nominated this year.  So far in the playoffs, John Carlson of the Washington Capitals has made a claim to being the best rookie in the NHL.  Carlson has appeared in all four Washington Capitals games and scored four points from defence.  He has a +7 +/- rating in the playoffs so far.  This is quite an impressive showing for a rookie.

Carlson will be eligible for the Calder Trophy next season because he only played 22 games this season (and the Calder cut-off is 25).  In those 22 games, he logged an ever increasing amount of playing time with six points and a +11 +/-.  Carlson is a 20 year old World Junior Championship hero who was a Caps first round pick in 2008.  He has the pedigree of a future NHL star and is playing like one so far in the playoffs.  He is a very logical front-runner for next year’s Calder Trophy.

Filed in: | The Puck Stops Here | Permalink
 Tags: John+Carlson, Washington+Capitals,

Comments

Avatar

4 games as a sample size seems a little small...especially when you’ve got a regular season sample of 22 games in which he scored 6 points. 

As a point of comparison, Jamie McBain (also a defenceman) of the Hurricanes had 10 points in 14 games, with a +6 rating for a Carolina team that finished with a -26 goal differential on the season. 

I’m hesitant to even use +/- as a stat to depend on for trophy consideration.  You can’t really say that John Carlson is responsible for the goals that Washington has generated.

Posted by JesseJesse on 04/22/10 at 11:19 AM ET

Guilherme's avatar

gulp

Posted by Guilherme from Brazsil on 04/22/10 at 11:21 AM ET

PuckStopsHere's avatar

Jesse

Have you watched Carlson play?  Not only in the playoffs, but also in the regular season and perhaps in junior or the world juniors?  He has the talent that he can do well in the NHL.

Posted by PuckStopsHere on 04/22/10 at 11:22 AM ET

TEMO's avatar

He is a very logical front-runner for next year’s Calder Trophy.

So was Ville Leino . . .

Posted by TEMO from LANSING, MICHIGAN, U.S.A. on 04/22/10 at 11:35 AM ET

42jeff's avatar

So was Ville Leino . . .
Posted by TEMO from LANSING, MICHIGAN, U.S.A. on 04/22/10 at 11:35 AM ET

ZING!

Posted by 42jeff from Minot, North Dakota on 04/22/10 at 11:36 AM ET

PaulinMiamiBeach's avatar

Jesse

Have you watched Carlson play?  Not only in the playoffs, but also in the regular season and perhaps in junior or the world juniors?  He has the talent that he can do well in the NHL.

so NOW you abandon stats and say “did you watch it?” wow.

ahem.  the award is for performance, not potential.  and it’s for the regular season.  why are you talking about the playoffs?  sheesh.

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 04/22/10 at 12:27 PM ET

PuckStopsHere's avatar

Paul

Are you suggesting I should be posting Carlson’s stats from next season?  Do you happen to have a copy of them?  Thanks.

Posted by PuckStopsHere on 04/22/10 at 12:34 PM ET

Moq's avatar

Carlson isn’t a bad projection behind an offensive powerhouse like Washington. There’s certainly a chance of decent ice time and good stats.

Posted by Moq from Denmark on 04/22/10 at 12:48 PM ET

Avatar

Jesse’ not talking aboot Carlson, he’s talking about McBain. Have you seen Mcbain play (?) would be the next logical question.

Posted by Keyser S. on 04/22/10 at 01:32 PM ET

Chris from NOHS's avatar

PSH made a funny!

Posted by Chris from NOHS from The University of Oxford on 04/22/10 at 01:35 PM ET

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imageThe Puck Stops Here was founded during the 2004/05 lockout as a place to rant about hockey. The original site contains over 1000 posts, some of which were also published on FoxSports.com.

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