The final tally for Calder Trophy voting was revealed on Tuesday morning. Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson ran away with the win over Calgary's Dustin Wolf and San Jose's Macklin Celebrini. When looking down the votes, a pair of Hurricanes rookies could be found, giving the team a pair of Top 10 finishers in this season's race.
Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake received votes from Professional Hockey Writers Association, finishing seventh and ninth, respectively. Stankoven earned a pair of fourth-place votes and 16 fifth place, while all nine of Blake's votes had him finishing fifth. While neither were named among the finalists, it's cool to see both players recognized for their efforts this season.
Stankoven maintained his rookie status after appearing in 24 games last season for the Dallas Stars and 19 more in the postseason. He began the season in Dallas, scoring nine goals and 20 assists, before being traded to the Hurricanes as the centerpiece of the Mikko Rantanen deal. He fit in beautifully with the Canes, adding nine points in 19 games. He was sixth in rookie scoring this season.
His postseason experience from last season was important for the group heading into this run. Stankoven is on his way to leading all rookies in goals (5) and points (8) for a second straight postseason. He was big for the Canes in the second round and was one of the few bright spots during their conference finals loss to Florida.
Blake emerged out of nowhere during training camp, cracking the team's Opening Night roster as the lone rookie. He capitalized on his opportunity and turned in one of the best rookie seasons in organization history. His first goal was particularly memorable, scoring the go-ahead marker in the team's second game, a 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils.
With 17 goals and 34 points this season, Blake cracked the Top 10 in Hurricanes history for a rookie, tying Seth Jarvis for fifth in goals and moving into eighth in points. He didn't look out of place in his first playoff series, scoring a goal and adding three assists in the first round against New Jersey. He'll finish the playoffs behind only Stankoven in goals and points for a rookie.
The Hurricanes will have a solid contender or two for next season's Calder Trophy, headlined by rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin. He showed flashes of what he brings offensively during the playoffs, setting up Stankoven in Game 4 against Florida to record his first NHL point. Nikishin is projected to make the team next season, though it's far too early to know for sure.
Bradly Nadeau is another name to watch in next year's race, though he'll likely fly under the radar. I thought Nadeau would be on the roster this season, though he was beaten out by Blake. Instead, Nadeau tore through AHL competition, leading all AHL rookies in goals and finishing second in points. Both players have decent shots at becoming the second Hurricane named the league's top rookie.