Calder Trophy Power Rankings: Matthew Schaefer still leads as the pack shifts

The new year hasn’t changed the names at the very top of the Calder Trophy Power Rankings. As the season passes the midpoint, Matthew Schaefer remains the gold standard among first-year NHL players, driving results at both ends of the ice as the league’s youngest skater. Electric winger Ivan Demidov continues to nip at his heels, while Beckett Sennecke holds down the final spot on the podium.

The real movement is happening behind those three. Several challengers are closing the gap, and the race to legitimately push into the Calder conversation has tightened as roles grow and ice time stabilizes.

To reflect that race accurately, a group of Elite Prospects scouts submitted their individual top-10 Calder ballots. The rankings below reflect a composite of those votes.

The number in brackets indicates each player’s position in last month’s rankings.

Matthew Schaefer, D – New York Islanders (1st)

Another month gone by, another clean sweep at the top of the ballots for Matthew Schaefer. We’re beginning to run out of superlatives for the youngest player in the NHL. His 13 goals rank third among all defenders. His 34 points in 48 games are third among all first-year players. Skating over 24 minutes a night, he’s been elite at both ends of the rink. The only negative since we last met was Hockey Canada’s decision to leave him off their Olympic roster.

Ivan Demidov, RW – Montreal Canadiens (2nd)

Ivan Demidov has done enough to win a Calder in most seasons. A 70-point pace, strong even-strength production, and consistent highlight-reel plays are often enough. But for the third straight month, he sits in second place. While Demidov swept second-place among all seven ballots again, Sennecke is now breathing heavily down his neck. If Demidov wants to unseat Schaefer, he’ll need to start shooting more, scoring more, and fully taking over games.

Beckett Sennecke, RW – Anaheim Ducks (3rd)

Beckett Sennecke has been impressively consistent for a 19-year-old. With fifteen points in his first 20 games and fifteen points in the next 20, the Ducks winger has nine points in his last 10. His power play minutes are climbing, and the trust is growing. With his size and skill, it will be difficult to keep him off the podium at season’s end.

Jesper Wallstedt, G – Minnesota Wild (4th)

It’s been a tale of two seasons for Jesper Wallstedt. Through his first 10 games, he went 8-0-1 with a .944 save percentage and 15 goals saved above expected. Hall of Fame-type metrics. The last 10 games have looked very different, with a 4-4-2 record, an .885 save percentage, and nearly four goals surrendered above expected. And yet, Wallstedt maintains his fourth overall spot on this list and actually picked up additional voter support along the way.

Ryan Leonard, RW – Washington Capitals (8th)

No first-year skater has been hotter than Ryan Leonard since December 1. Despite missing a few games, he has produced 16 points in 17 contests while playing fewer minutes than any other top-producing rookie. The pesky winger has worked himself into the Capitals’ lineup, and his reward has been a spot on the club’s top power play unit. If he sticks and produces there, the numbers could grow large enough to start knocking off the players ahead of him.

Ben Kindel, C – Pittsburgh Penguins (NR)

Ben Kindel isn’t the biggest first-year player. He doesn’t lead rookies in scoring. But he continues to log top-nine minutes at even strength while contributing on both special teams. The 18-year-old is well ahead of schedule and has impressed with his calm, two-way game. The former Calgary Hitmen standout likely won’t have the raw totals to push seriously for the award, but his play has earned him this spot.

Oliver Kapanen, C – Montreal Canadiens (NR)

Oliver Kapanen has seemingly found a home alongside Juraj Slafkovský and fellow rookie Ivan Demidov. The trio has outscored opponents 20-13 at even strength, offering Canadiens fans a glimpse of what could be a very fun future. Perhaps most impressive has been the 22-year-old’s work on the penalty kill, where he’s often stood out.

Arseny Gritsyuk, LW – New Jersey Devils (9th)

The points have been hard to come by for Arseny Gritsyuk of late. He has just two in his 15 games since returning from a minor upper-body injury. Still, the Russian winger continues to earn praise for his defensive impact. While he has only 18 points in 46 games, there has been plenty to like about his play driving and overall involvement.

Artyom Levshunov, D – Chicago Blackhawks (7th)

After beginning the season in limited third-pairing minutes, the shackles appear to be coming off Artyom Levshunov. The big Belarusian defender has averaged nearly 23 minutes per game in January. It hasn’t translated into much offence yet, but the expanded role has provided a revealing look at his long-term impact.

Zeev Buium, D – Vancouver Canucks (10th)

Almost nothing has gone right for the Vancouver Canucks this season. And while Zeev Buium has been far from perfect in his 17 games with the club, his play has flashed the high-end upside that made him such a compelling prospect. The 20-year-old consistently shows high-level skating and offensive creation on the power play, while still mixing in some defensive miscues at even strength.