Calder Joke

            Well the results are in and the nominees for Calder are Brendan Gallagher, Brandon Saad, and…Jonathon Huberdeau? Ummm, guys…I think you forgot someone. There’s no way this can be right. Not saying any of these rookies are bad, not by a long shot, but you’re still missing someone from this list: Jonas Brodin. The rookie defenseman that plays on the top line with Ryan Suter, averages over 23 minutes of time on ice per game, and had a +3 rating by the end of the regular season, remember him?

            I know defenseman can be underrated, but this is unbelievable. Yes, I’m a biased Aeros fan/Wild fan by default, but when a rookie manages over 23 minutes of ice time night after night, you should take notice. This kid walked into the scene and said “Rookie year? Don’t let these guys know it.” Playing with a skill level that even veteran defenseman Ryan Suter took notice, commenting “You couldn’t tell he’s a rookie by watching him, he knows the game well.” Maybe that’s why he wasn’t nominated, because someone mistook him for the veteran he plays like, not believing this is only his first year.

            And speaking of first year, how did Brandon Saad get on this list? Saad is the only rookie nominated that has actually played in an NHL game before this season, not counting the preseason games Jonathon Huberdeau played last season. Sure, it “wasn’t a full season” he played, but the point stands that Saad had NHL experience before this year. Brodin, like Gallagher, had zero NHL experience before his first professional game, gathering only AHL experience due to the lockout. Also to be noted, while Brodin was playing in the AHL with the Houston Aeros, he suffered a broken clavicle due to a controversial hit from Taylor Hall. So on top of no NHL experience beforehand, this rookie played his first NHL game after coming off injury that put him out of the lineup for nearly three months.

            In the end friends, I believe it all comes down to points and ignorance. Someone looked at the paper, saw Brodin managed eleven points, and said to themselves “Only eleven points? Pfft. Next.” and threw the paper in the trash. Defenseman are horribly underrated, and the fact that they can even manage to grab points when 90% of the time they’re just trying to keep the puck in the offensive zone and out of their own is completely overlooked. Eleven points for a rookie defenseman is phenomenal, but it seems like you have to register 25+ to even be considered for nomination. Not saying Brodin would have won Calder, but not being nominated is, to put it nicely, a joke. The rookies nominated – if Saad still counts as a rookie – are good, and worthy of nomination, but Brodin was robbed like a point blank shot gloved by the goalie. Let’s hope in a few years, Brodin will be nominated for multiple awards to make up for this one, and it won’t be long before we’re saying “Brodin for Norris! Brodin for Norris!”