Islanders Award Winners - Bryan Trottier, Calder Trophy, 1976

NOTE: This is the first episode of second season of Islanders Award Winners. The rest of the episodes will publish later this year.

In 1975, the Islanders had made an improbable run to the NHL semifinals in just their third season. A year later, a 19-year-old kid from a farm in Saskatchewan would make sure that run was no fluke.

Little about Bryan Trottier’s incredible rookie year makes sense in modern times. A unique underage draft, a boy so humble and quiet he barely said a word all season, an instant No. 1 center who started his career with a hat trick in a five point game in his first appearance at his home arena. Trottier would score throughout the season, finishing with record numbers…