Calder Trophy Power Rankings: Unstoppable Pettersson leads the pack
Preseason prognosticators favored the likes of like Rasmus Dahlin and Andrei Svechnikov to claim 2018-19 Rookie of the Year honors, but it's a handful of early surprises who make up this month's edition of the Calder Trophy rankings:
5. Dennis Cholowski, Detroit Red Wings
Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / GettyA banged-up blue line has led to lots of early minutes for the Red Wings' young defense core, especially 2016 first-round pick Cholowski.
Averaging more than 22 minutes a night, Cholowski has been regularly called upon by coach Jeff Blashill and leads all Detroit defenders in ice time. While Cholowski's offensive contributions haven't resulted in many victories for the rebuilding Red Wings, he already has six points in eight games.
The challenge for Cholowski will be keeping up his strong play. Mike Green has already returned to the lineup and Danny DeKeyser's eventual activation from the injured reserve could chip away at the 20-year-old's usage.
4. Henri Jokiharju, Chicago Blackhawks
Kirk Irwin / Getty Images Sport / GettyLong gone are the days when the Blackhawks' blue line was their strength. But the next wave is arriving and Finnish freshman Jokiharju is the main attraction.
The 19-year-old has become a favorite of bench boss Joel Quenneville - he's seeing nearly 21 minutes of action per game. That belief in Jokiharju has paid off on the scoreboard, as the rookie defender has already put up seven points in just 11 contests to lead all Chicago defensemen in scoring.
Perhaps most impressive is how quickly Jokiharju has adapted to the pro game. A first-round pick by the Blackhawks in 2017, he needed just one more year in junior before jumping into Chicago's lineup full time.
3. Max Comtois, Anaheim Ducks
Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images Sport / GettyGoals have been hard to come by in Anaheim, as key offensive contributors Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf have spent much, if not all, of the season on the shelf. The Ducks' playing style also has the team in its own end more often than not, so time around the opposing crease is seemingly a rarity.
Enter Comtois, the 2017 second-round pick who is picking up the scoring pace in the absence of the Ducks' top performers. Through 10 contests, Comtois has picked up two goals, including a game-winner, and five assists to sit tied for first in team scoring.
Comtois has now passed the 10-game entry-level-contract threshold, but his offensive production likely already ruled out any chance of a return to the QMJHL, anyway.
2. Max Lajoie, Ottawa Senators
Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo / Getty Images Sport / GettyWhile second-year defenseman Thomas Chabot is doing his part to help Senators fans forget about former captain Erik Karlsson, credit is also due to rookie rearguard Lajoie.
Lajoie has stepped into the Senators' lineup after spending just one year in Belleville, and appears to be a perfect fit for Guy Boucher's new-look coaching scheme. Across nine appearances, Lajoie has already picked up seven points, including four goals. It's only a matter of time before the fresh face becomes more well-known to the hometown crowd.
1. Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
Rich Lam / Getty Images Sport / GettyLooking for a dynamic talent who could run away with this year's rookie honors? Feast your eyes on Canucks first-year sensation Pettersson, if you haven't already.
Through seven appearances, the 19-year-old forward has picked up ten points, including seven goals, showing he can be an integral building block in the Canucks' forward corps alongside Brock Boeser. Even more impressive is that the Swedish talent hasn't struggled in adapting to the pace of play in his first season in North America.
While it's unknown what Pettersson's stat line would look like had he not missed a six-game stretch after a suffering a concussion, the good news is he has since returned to the lineup.
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