Calder Trophy Power Rankings: Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar Jockey for Pole Position

So begins the new debut of a monthly column, one in which we look at the NHL’s top rookies and determine their order in the Calder Trophy race.

The Calder Trophy, for the uninitiated among us, goes to the top rookie in the NHL at season’s end on an annual basis, with the PHWPA (Professional Hockey Writer’s Association) voting on the matter.

The NHL determines whether a player is a rookie or not according to these criteria, found on the NHL website.

“To be considered a rookie, a player must not have played in more than 25 NHL games in any preceding seasons, nor in six or more NHL games in each of any two preceding seasons. Any player at least 26 years of age (by September 15th of that season) is not considered a rookie.”

For a list of everyone who qualifies as a rookie this season, sorted