Let’s imagine a hypothetical hockey player. Say they’re a left winger for some team in the Central Division, and are currently in their third year in the NHL. To drive home the idea that this player is not real and is completely made up, we’ll give him a nonsensical name: Rason Jobertson.
Jobertson had an excellent rookie year, scoring only a few points shy of a point per game pace. His possession metrics were excellent, especially compared to his teammates, and he passed the “eye test” with flying colors. As a result, he finished in the Top 2 of Calder Memorial Trophy voting, given annually to the NHL’s best rookie, alongside some other guy from the same division who isn’t important.