### NHL's Calder Trophy Finalists: A Historic Race for Rookie of the Year The NHL has announced the finalists for the 2025 Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league's top rookie. This year's nominees include **Macklin Celebrini** of the San Jose Sharks, **Lane Hutson** of the Montreal Canadiens, and **Dustin Wolf** of the Calgary Flames. Celebrini, the first overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, led his team in scoring despite the Sharks' struggles. Hutson had a record-breaking season as a defenseman, while Wolf excelled as a goaltender in his first full NHL season. Notably, Hutson's performance in the playoffs, despite his team's early exit, has drawn attention, although playoff performance does not influence Calder voting. ### Structure of the Calder Trophy Finalists Overview 1. **Finalists Overview** - Macklin Celebrini: First overall pick, led Sharks in scoring with 63 points in 70 games. - Lane Hutson: Set a Canadiens record for rookie defensemen with 66 points, leading all rookies in scoring. - Dustin Wolf: Achieved 29 wins and 3 shutouts in his first full NHL season. 2. **Performance Highlights** - Celebrini's scoring pace: 74 points projected over an 82-game season. - Hutson's assists: Tied for the most assists by a rookie defenseman in NHL history (60). - Wolf's accolades: Recognized as a top goaltender in junior leagues before his NHL success. 3. **Playoff Context** - Hutson's playoff performance: Contributed significantly to the Canadiens' postseason push, despite their first-round exit. - Celebrini and Wolf's absence from playoffs: Both players did not qualify for the postseason, impacting their visibility during this critical time. 4. **Voting Process** - The Calder Trophy voting is conducted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the end of the regular season, focusing solely on regular-season performance. ### Supporting Evidence and Data - **Macklin Celebrini**: - Points: 63 in 70 games, 25 goals. - Scoring pace: 74 points over 82 games [https://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/ranking_the_top_five_rookies_from_the_2025_stanley_cup_playoffs_so_far/s1_16958_42163497]. - **Lane Hutson**: - Points: 66 (60 assists), breaking Chris Chelios' record for rookie defensemen in Canadiens history. - Tied Larry Murphy's record for most assists by a rookie defenseman [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6332783/2025/05/05/calder-trophy-finalists-2025]. - **Dustin Wolf**: - Wins: 29, with a 2.64 goals-against average and .910 save percentage [https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/article/flames-goalie-dustin-wolf-named-a-finalist-for-calder-trophy]. ### Conclusion: A Competitive Race for the Calder Trophy In summary, the 2025 Calder Trophy finalists represent a diverse array of talent across different positions in the NHL. 1. **Macklin Celebrini** has showcased impressive scoring ability despite his team's challenges. 2. **Lane Hutson** has made history with his record-breaking performance as a rookie defenseman, leading all rookies in points. 3. **Dustin Wolf** has proven himself as a reliable goaltender, achieving significant wins in his inaugural season. The outcome of the Calder Trophy will depend on the voting by the Professional Hockey Writers Association, which will consider the regular-season performances of these outstanding rookies [https://www.nhl.com/news/calder-trophy-finalists-sharks-macklin-celebrini-canadiens-lane-hutson-flames-dustin-wolf].