The nominations for the Calder Trophy are sometimes easy to predict before official puck drop in October. A lot of it comes from hype via the recent passing draft, for example, Jesperi Kotkaniemi who many thought would make a staple for himself in the Montreal Canadiens organization early. But sometimes a name or two come out of the woodwork to have a significant impact on their team.
Kotkaniemi’s journey to the Habs roster wasn’t as clear cut as other top-five instants are. He was taken third overall, but management made it known that the 18-year-old would only make the team if he proved he could handle it.