The hockey world is in for a treat with the 2024-25 rookie class. A long list of top prospects seem destined for NHL roles, including former high-end draft picks and controversial prospects. Their pursuit of meaningful NHL ice time will be undercut by what’s sure to be an exciting race for the 2025 Calder Trophy. The NHL’s ’Rookie of the Year’ award stands as perhaps the most coveted and exclusive award in the league, having previously gone to franchise-defining talents like Connor Bedard this year, Kirill Kaprizov in 2021, and Cale Makar in 2020. With such a star-studded cast of contenders this year, the winner may have to reach the heights of that trio to win over voters.
That could prove an easy feat for the pair of Macklin Celebrini and Matvei Michkov – likely the leading favorites as things currently stand. Celebrini was the first overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft and is coming off a dazzling junior hockey career. After winning both the USHL’s ’Rookie of the Year’ and ’Most Valuable Player’ awards as a 16-year-old in 2022-23, Celebrini became the youngest player to ever win the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player this season. His prowess is undeniable. He’s a defiantly special playmaker, with all of the tools needed to match top speeds. Celebrini is set for a top-line role with the San Jose Sharks, while Michkov will fight for the same recognition from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Michkov is making the jump to the NHL a year earlier than expected, after being released from his contract with the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg this summer. He makes the move to North America after proudly leading HK Sochi. Despite playing on a farm club to SKA, Michkov has still managed 61 points in 77 KHL games over the last two seasons. His 41 points in 47 games this year marked the most of any U20 KHL skater since Kaprizov, the record holder, potted 42 points in 49 games in 2017. Where Celebrini is a quick-thinking and quicker-moving playmaker, Michkov is an all-skill scorer, capable of using a mix of incredibly agile skating, great stickhandling, and a knockout shot to embarrass opponents in the offensive end. The sky is the limit for the Russian phenom, who should finally receive proper support after spending the last two seasons on muddling rosters.
Celebrini and Michkov will be challenged for their spot by a long list of high-end forwards, including Will Smith – who could find himself playing second-fiddle to Celebrini in San Jose. Anaheim Ducks center Cutter Gauthier could also break into the conversation – undermining yet another boost to the Flyers’ prospect pool. But of the many contenders, it’s the dynamic duo of Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque who seem most overlooked in early Calder talks.
Stankoven was a lightning bolt in his first taste of the NHL. The first-year pro fought his way to an NHL call-up with a then-league-leading 57 points in his first 47 AHL games. The scoring didn’t stop in Dallas, as Stankoven proceeded to score 14 points in 24 games – the highest scoring pace (0.58) of any first-year Star since Jason Robertson in 2021 (0.88) and John Klingberg in 2015 (0.58). Stankoven was just one game shy of losing rookie eligibility when Dallas’ season ended, though he was quickly slotted back into the lineup during the playoffs – which don’t count against Calder Trophy eligibility. He continued to hone his game in the race for the Stanley Cup, netting eight points in 19 games and earning a routine role in Dallas’ middle-six.
If not Stankoven, then it’ll be his electric centerman Bourque who wins the title for Dallas. The two forwards were unstoppable with the AHL’s Texas Stars last season, playing with a pace and chemistry that opponents simply couldn’t keep up with. Bourque stayed red-hot even after Stankoven’s call-up, ultimately leading the AHL in scoring with 77 points in 71 games and earning the Les Cunningham Award as the league’s MVP. That was despite last season being just the second pro year of Bourque’s career. He was impressive, and found a way to score consistently despite his oft-criticized frame.
Even with all of the acclaim of the aforementioned forwards, the award could still find its way to other hands. Shakir Mukhamadullin in San Jose, Lane Hutson in Montreal, and Olen Zellweger in Anaheim are all prime candidates from the blue-line, while Dustin Wolf in Calgary and Yaroslav Askarov in Nashville stand as favorites in net – though the latter will have to fight his way above Juuse Saros. It seems the Calder Trophy debate could go in one of countless directions when the first puck is finally dropped – but who do you think will win out? Will it be dazzling star prospects Celebrini or Michkov? Will defensive supports overtake the top scorers? Or will a player like Brad Lambert subvert everyone’s expectations? Let us know by voting in the poll below and discussing in the comments!
If the poll isn’t appearing, click here!
Michkov, with C*tter being a close 2nd.
No idea. We just cannot predict what teenagers from junior or college kids declaring after their freshman year are certain to be world beaters. There are any number of Can’t! Miss! top ten draft picks that fell off the map. (Heck, Sid Crosby, Anze Kopitar and TJ Oshie have collectively outscored the WHOLE REST OF THE 2005 first round, a full seventeen of whom scored fewer than 100 NHL points.)
Stankoven for the win.
I’m going to say Michkov because he has a way better supporting cast but in a much higher pressure situation then Celebrini they are 2 favs in that order. Hutson has a decent chance aswell if he played with the skill he seems to have. Hutson is a small defensman but if he can be an effective point producer, not get bullied and play top 3/4 dman mins effectively he has a great chance aswell. I like Hutson and Savard and the number 2 pair to start the year in MTL and they have great contrasting styles they work well together. Obviously a smart coach would give him as many Ozone starts as possible but I’m excited to see him play a full year. Clearly I’m a habs fan lol, I still think it’s a Michkovs due to supporting cast unless Celebrini can play great D and win FOs
I would love Gauthier first and Michkov second. LMAO
I’ll give Michkov the edge since the Flyers shound be the better of those teams but thats a heck of a list.
Stars continue to stay stacked with Stankoven, Bourque and Bichsel coming. I cant see how they dont win a Cup with this core.
Phili is the deepest team according to many? Have they not seen the Dallas depth chart? I’m sorry to those fans, but it should be Stankoven at this time.
If Phili was so deep they would have made the playoffs last year or been close. Not choked in the race.
Dallas made a run to the conference finals with their depth and let some rookies run down the stretch. Stankhoven and Johnston were given their time on the 2nd line to run. And ran with it. No chance they don’t go again.
Oh right, hockey is only watched on the east so when a guy plays west of Toronto no one knows what happened the night before.
McDavid is a lesser player than Matthews or Crosby these days. Draisaitl is a 2nd grade Tavares/Malkin/Nylander/anyone out east.
Honestly east coast guys… Just watch that guy. He’s as good if not better than McDavid on some nights.
Think it’s just compared to San Jose that the Flyers are better.
Since the Calder is generally given on “back of the hockey card” stats, I would say the guys on San Jose have a big advantage since the whole season is going to revolve around feeding them minutes, PP time, having them get points and confidence, etc.
The Dallas guys are on an elite, Cup contending team, those guys are going to defer to the veterans on occasion. Also unlike guys on a contending team they know very well they need to play 200 feet every night or it’s no bueno for them.
The logic here is… illogical. The top players this past year were on CHI and MIN: two teams which stunk. Which is logical because bad teams offer rookies more quality minutes and offensive zone starts with less stars to compete with for ice time.