5 surprise Calder Trophy contenders for the 2025-26 season

The next wave of rookie talent in the NHL consists of some exciting young prospects, and they are all after one thing: the Calder Memorial Trophy. Last won by former second-round pick Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens, he showed anything is possible, and that it isn't only a prize for those taken in the first round.

With that being said, here are five surprise players who could make a convincing run at the Calder Trophy next season.

Yaroslav Askarov, San Jose Sharks

Back in August of last year, former first round pick goalie Yaroslav Askarov was traded from the Nashville Predators to the San Jose Sharks in return for David Edstrom, Magnus Chrona, and a conditional first round pick in the 2025 NHL draft before signing a two-year, $4 million deal with the Sharks. Askarov, who played only three games from 2022 to 2024 with the Predators, appeared in 13 games with the Sharks at the back end of last season, and already showed glimmers of hope and talent in that short stint. The Russian goalie was selected 11th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, and now, five years later is likely to get his chance as a starting goaltender for the Sharks.

Although goalies do not tend to be Calder winners, those such as Dustin Wolf, and Alex Nedeljkovic have shown it is possible to be considered, and Askarov who is a highly touted prospect headed into next season could mirror and even better Dustin Wolf's season in Calgary, and is sure to make a good impression.

Whether his first impression is good enough to crack into the Calder race, Askarov is definitley a player to keep an eye on, and as he sits as a 25-1 shot for the award, he is sure to surprise fans this season. If his game alone can elevate the Sharks from being a bottom two team to a bottom five team, the signs are already there, and Askarov no matter how the Sharks perform will be a rookie on everyone's radar next season.

Ville Koivunen, Pittsburgh Penguins

Now, it is without a doubt the Penguins could be bad next season -- like really bad. However, it isn't all doom and gloom for the Pens with Ville Koivunen as their shining spark next year. Of course, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang will all still be present on the team, but it is time to look deeper down the line in Pittsburgh, and former Carolina second round pick Koivunen could be someone to get excited about.

Koivunen was one of the key parts involved in the Jake Guentzel trade back in March 2024, and his first stint in the NHL went pretty well to say the least. Seven assists in eight games, almost reaching that point per game status was somewhat a surprise, but his adaptability to the NHL looked effortless, and a big rookie year may well be on the cards.

The Finnish winger could be set to play second-line hockey for the Penguins this season, and is projected to line up with legend Evgeni Malkin. For Koivunen, there is no better noise if he does end up teamed up with Malkin, and his hopes for a statement year would only get better. Looking like a playmaker rather than an out and out scorer so far,

Koivunen will be a key piece in making plays and chance creation next season for the Penguins, and at 50-1 in the market, he might make a very convincing effort at the coveted Calder Trophy. If he can continue to improve, and continue to adapt to the ever growing speed of the NHL, his name is well and truly in the hat, and is someone every fan should keep in mind.

Matt Savoie, Edmonton Oilers

It seems to be becoming that every player on this list so far has been traded by their drafted team, and adding Matt Savoie to that list only makes it more interesting. It is rare that you see a top 10 pick in the draft be traded after only one game on NHL ice, but in this case Savoie was, and ended up being traded to Edmonton in July of 2024. Savoie was a former first overall pick in the WHL draft, and was poised to be a very talented NHL talent, and now, his NHL career is fully set to start, but not in Buffalo.

Unlike Koivunen and Askarov, Savoie has yet to fully express himself on the ice during his four games with the Oilers, but with a pivotal role on the team next year, supposedly pairing up with Leon Draisaitl, his scoring and playmaking may just start to elevate. Similarly to Koivunen, it is always easy to up your game when surrounded by top tier NHL talent, but Savoie specifically has shown in the past that he can be a very dangerous player in the league.

With newly acquired Isaac Howard also joing the team, the rookie battles on the team will be very interesting, but Savoie's exceptional speed, and high ceiling for point scoring is something which may excell him to the next level, and his chances at the Calder are definitely in play. Just like Koivunen, Savoie holds a 50-1 chance in the market, but as a former top 10 pick, he and the fans know what he can do, and what kind of fight he can bring to the Calder race.

Sam Rinzel, Chicago Blackhawks

Every season we see a big surge of rookies from all different draft classes make their NHL debuts, but Sam Rinzel of the Chicago Blackhawks in particular showed why he is the real deal in the Windy City, and why he will instantly make his presence known on the Blackhawks blue line next season. Ever since being drafted 27th overall in the 2022 draft, Rinzel's college career at Minnesota has been second to none, and his game has elevated just like the Blackhawks thought.

His defensive awareness, his hockey IQ, and his skating were things that stood out instantly during his first nine games in the league, and he certainly showed he had the scope to be the Blackhawks future powerplay quarterback.

The former Golden Gopher not only highlighted his defensive strengths, but despite only recording five assists, his offensive presence on the blue line, and fearlessness to attack the net is something that can excel even further at the NHL level. Among all rookie defensemen this year, Rinzel is a superstar, and with positive improvements to both his offensive and defensive game, his chances at the Calder are better than most may think.

Even though he will potentially be battling the likes of Sam Dickinson and Matthew Schaefer, Rinzel showed us everything we needed to know heading into next year, and another 50/1 shot, his performances will easily boost him up the charts through the course of the season.

Maxim Shabanov, New York Islanders

And finally, undrafted Russian 24 year old Maxim Shabanov is raw, unexposed, and an unopened book so far in the NHL, and may or may not shock people with his talent. Shabanov who lit up the KHL last season with 67 points in 65 games signed a one year entry level contract with the Islanders, and the point per game winger will get his chance to be a part of the Islanders rebuild next season.

Having KHL experience with Traktor Chelyabinsk, he has shown clear offensive poise in the regular and post season scoring 20 points in 21 games last season in the playoffs. The Russian winger is someone who looks like a real threat, and with the current state of the Islanders line up could be a key part to their moderate success.

Shabanov is one of those players who has only gotten better with age, and given how often KHL players settle in easily to the pace of the NHL, his KHL experience could be enough to get his career off and running in North America. A scorer like him in the KHL is often a sign of big things to come, but as a player who a lot of people don't know, and a player who could enter the league and instantly apply his talents and become a star, Shabanov will most likely not be focused on the Calder Trophy, but definitely has an outside chance.

There is it, the five rookies who could be big surprises next season, and five extremely talented players who could make very worthy stabs at the Calder Memorial Trophy. Will it be one of the three who try to prove themselves after being traded, or will it be the mysterious Russian who lights up the NHL? All will be revealed in the 2025-26 season. But be excited, and be ready, because these guys are raring to go, and you should definitely keep on eye on them.