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Andy's NHL power rankings for the top-10 Calder Memorial Trophy candidates for the 2025-26 season. His top Calder Trophy candidates of February 2026 include Matthew Schaefer, Ivan Demidov, Jesper Wallstedt, more.
With the NHL season past the halfway point and the Olympic break right around the corner, it's time to update our Calder Trophy power rankings. Throughout January, we have updated our Vezina Trophy, James Norris Trophy, and Hart Memorial Trophy MVP rankings. Now, it's time to shift our focus to the top rookies in the NHL.
The high-end rookies have established themselves as the clear favorites, leaving the bottom half of our rankings wide open for debate.
Let's dive into the current top-10 favorites to win the 2025-26 Calder Memorial Trophy. All statistics and records mentioned are updated as of Wednesday, February 4.
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Honorable Mention - Yaroslav Askarov, G, San Jose Sharks
Yaroslav Askarov does not have the most impressive stat line, but he has emerged as San Jose's No. 1 netminder as the team remains in the playoff picture. After appearing in only 13 games in 2024 with the Sharks, posting a 3.10 GAA and a .896 SV%, Askarov has gone on to start 34 games in 2025.
Through the stint, the 11th overall pick (from the 2020 NHL Draft) has posted a 17-14 record with a 3.55 GAA and a .886% SV%. However, playing behind a young San Jose team, Askarov does not have the most favorable setting for an emerging netminder.
According to MoneyPuck.com, the Sharks (as a team) have allowed the fourth-most Expected Goals Against Per 60 and allowed the eighth-most total shots on goal against. They sit 11th in High Danger Shots Against and 13th in Medium Danger Shots Against, which will hurt a young goalie's overall production.
While the 23-year-old sits as the clear No. 3 netminder in the Calder race, he has proved that he is more than capable of developing into a No. 1 option for a budding franchise.
No. 10 - Ben Kindel, F, Pittsburgh Penguins
The reigning 11th overall pick from the 2025 NHL Draft was a surprise addition to the Penguins' Opening Day roster and was not expected to remain with the NHL club for long. However, the rookie continued to impress during his first taste of NHL action and eventually earned a permanent spot in the starting lineup.
Through his first 52 contests, the Coquitlam native has found the back of the net 12 times and added 13 helpers. He has logged a -5 +/- but has not been afraid to lay hits (20) and block shots (44). The Penguins have kept Kindel in a top-9 role, primarily playing third-line center with occasional stints in the top six.
However, according to his underlying metrics, the 18-year-old isn't just holding his head above the water; he is looking quite comfortable against the top competition. According to MoneyPuck.com, Kindel has generated an elite 58% Corsi% (On-Ice Shot-Attempt%), which is the highest among all Pittsburgh skaters who logged at least 375 minutes of total ice time.
Expect Kindel to continue to see some positive regression in the scoring department in the second half.
Ben Kindel with his second goal of the night 👀
The PPG makes it 3-0, good guys 💪 pic.twitter.com/UCUElyovmH
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) November 4, 2025
No. 9 - Fraser Minten, F, Boston Bruins
Fraser Minten was on the outside of this list for most of the first half but has enjoyed an impressive surge, pushing him into the top 10 ahead of the Olympic break. Minten has scored eight goals and added eight helpers over his last 16 contests. During this stretch, the 21-year-old forward has posted an impressive +14 rating with 28 total shots on goal.
Over his first 40 games of the season, Minten scored only six goals with seven assists while carrying a low +5 rating.
With both Elias Lindholm (upper body) and Pavel Zacha (upper body) on the shelf, Minten has taken on a prominent role in the top six. The Vancouver native has taken over second-line center duties and has even moved up to the top power-play unit.
Per MoneyPuck.com, Minten has been one of Boston's most impactful forwards over the last month. In his last 20 games, the former second-round pick has generated a 71.9% On-Ice Goals% (third highest on the team) and a strong 3.7 On-Ice High Danger Shot Attempts For Per 60 Minutes, the seventh-highest mark on the club.
No. 8 - Jakub Dobeš, G, Montreal Canadiens
The young goaltender enjoyed a dominant start to the season, but hit a bit of a skid in November, which pushed him down our rankings. Over his first six outings, Dobeš posted a perfect 6-0 record with a .930% SV% and a 1.97 GAA. Over his next 11, he would stumble to a much higher 3.89 GAA and a rough .860% SV%.
However, the 24-year-old has quickly flipped the script and is enjoying another strong stretch once again. Over his most recent 10 starts, the former fifth-round selection has posted an 8-0-2 record with a 2.65 GAA and a .899% SV%. While he has shared the crease with Sam Montembeault, he appears to be growing into the 1A role entering the second half.
Among rookie netminders, Dobeš sits with the most wins (18), despite playing in just 27 games. Per MoneyPuck.com, Dobeš has saved just 0.2 Goals Above Expected.
No. 7 - Oliver Kapanen, F, Montreal Canadiens
The 64th overall pick from the 2021 NHL Draft will hold the next spot on our list. Kapanen narrowly kept Calder eligibility after appearing in 18 games last season, falling just short of the 25-game mark. During his first brief stint in the NHL last season, Kapanen totaled just two points (both helpers). However, he has taken an impressive step forward in his true debut season and is emerging as a rising star in Montreal.
Across 56 games, the forward has fouled the back of the net 17 times and tacked on 13 helpers. He has posted a solid +3 rating while logging 55 blocked shots and 20 hits.
Kapanen has served as the primary second-line center playing alongside fellow stars Juraj Slafkovský and Ivan Demidov. He recently snapped a somewhat lengthy seven-game scoreless drought with a two-assist effort on January 29 and a one-goal effort in the following game on January 31. Before that, Kapanen was beginning to find his footing on offense, tallying 11 points (six goals) over his last 12 contests.
Per MoneyPuck.com, Kapanen sits first among Montreal forwards (who have logged at least 400 minutes of ice time) with an impressive 6.1 Goals Above Shooting Talent and fourth in Flurry Adjusted xGoals.
Your new rookie goal-scoring leader ✅
Oliver Kapanen evens up the score!
📺: @Sportsnet & @TVASports ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/zpOLl9kyic
— NHL (@NHL) November 9, 2025
No. 6 - Alexander Nikishin, D, Carolina Hurricanes
Even though Carolina has kept rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin on the bottom pairing, the 24-year-old has been quite impressive and sits just outside the top five.
Through his first 55 NHL contests, Nikishin has scored seven goals with 15 helpers. He has posted a +9 rating and logged 86 total shots on goal. However, Nikishin has logged an impressive 100 hits with 64 blocked shots, showcasing his complete skill set.
Among rookie defensemen, Nikishin sits second in total points (trailing the No. 1 player on our list).
Under the hood, the defenseman has been quite impressive on the offensive side of the game, despite only logging 22 points. Per MoneyPuck.com, Nikishin has generated a net 3.97 On-Ice High Danger Shot Attempts Per 60 and a strong 56% Corsi%. Nikishin enters the Olympic break as the clear No. 2 rookie defender in the league.
No. 5 - Ryan Leonard, F, Washington Capitals
Even though Ryan Leonard has hit a bit of a slump in the scoring department, he still deserves to sit in the middle of the list. The former eighth overall pick from the 2023 NHL Draft strongly started his rookie season, scoring nine goals and adding 28 helpers (28 total points) in the first 39 games. During this stretch, Leonard held a +11 rating with 54 hits, 78 shots on goal, and 13 blocked shots.
However, since January 13 (his last 12 games played), the former Boston College standout has found the back of the net just once and added only one helper. Despite the brief skid, Leonard still sits third for total points among rookie forwards.
Even though he is entering the break a bit cold, Leonard appears to be due to see some significant positive regression. Per MoneyPuck.com, among Washington forwards who have logged at least 500 minutes of ice time, Leonard sits at the top with a 65.4% On-Ice Goals% and fourth in On-Ice Expected Goals%, showing his impact in the offensive zone.
What a move! What a goal!
Take a bow, Ryan Leonard 👏 pic.twitter.com/03HpCNJ4H4
— NHL (@NHL) January 16, 2026
No. 4 - Jesper Wallstedt, G, Minnesota Wild
While Wallstedt has failed to keep up with his incredible early season pace, the young netminder remains a top candidate for the Calder Trophy. Over his first 15 games of the season, Wallstedt was running away with not only the Calder, but making a strong case for the Vezina, posting an 11-2-2 record with a 2.16 GAA and an elite .931% SV%. During this stretch, Wallstedt posted four shutouts.
However, since this remarkable start, the 23-year-old has regressed, posting a 2-3-2 record (over seven games) with a 3.91 GAA and a .870% SV%. During this skid, the Wild have turned to veteran Filip Gustavsson to lead the crease.
Among goalies who have played in at least 20 games, Wallstedt sits 26th in terms of Goals Saved Above Expected (2.8) and first in xSave% on Unblocked Shots (.956%).
No. 3 - Beckett Sennecke, F, Anaheim Ducks
The top three enter the new month in a class of their own. Beckett Sennecke currently sits second in total points among rookie skaters, trailing only the No. 2 player on our list.
Throughout his 56 games in the NHL, Sennecke has found the back of the net 18 times (most among rookies) and added 26 helpers. He has logged 129 shots on goal while earning eight of his points on the man advantage.
Playing in the top six and more often than not, the top line, Sennecke has totaled 12 points over his last 13 games. Additionally, he scored his first career hat trick on January 25 during the victory over the Calgary Flames.
Welcome to the Beckett Sennecke show 🎬
Here's all three of his goals tonight (including the OT winner)! 👇 pic.twitter.com/8Y7a6UjUTA
— NHL (@NHL) January 26, 2026
Among Anaheim skaters, the former third overall pick from the 2024 NHL Draft has generated the fifth-highest On-Ice Goals% and the sixth-highest Corsi% (56%).
No. 2 - Ivan Demidov, F, Montreal Canadiens
The 20-year-old would be the clear favorite for the Calder in most seasons, but sits as the No. 2 heading into the second half of the 2025-26 campaign. The Canadiens selected Demidov with the fifth overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft. He was given a short two-game taste of the NHL last season and tallied two points over this cup of coffee.
Over his first "full" season, Demidov has smashed all expectations. The young winger has scored 12 goals and added 34 helpers for 46 total points, the most among eligible rookies. Demidov has operated in a top-6 role playing alongside the previously noted Kapanen and Slafkovský.
Since December 21, Demidov has been a near point-per-game player. Over his last 21 contests, Demidov has scored five goals and tacked on 15 helpers while carrying a stellar +10 rating.
According to MoneyPuck.com, Demidov boasts an elite 58.6% On-Ice Expected Goals%, the fifth-highest mark on the team, and has tallied the third-highest 3.2 Points per 60 Minutes among Montreal skaters, trailing only stars Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
No. 1 - Matthew Schaefer, D, New York Islanders
Without a doubt, Islanders superstar defenseman Matthew Schaefer stands as the clear favorite to take home the Calder Trophy. The 18-year-old currently sits 13th among all defenders in total points (39) and fourth in goals (16).
The reigning first overall pick has surpassed all expectations and looks like a future Norris candidate for years to come. Schaefer has logged 78 blocked shots and 26 hits while holding a +7 rating over his first 57 NHL contests. Over the last week (the last four games played), Schaefer has found the back of the net three times and added two helpers.
According to MoneyPuck.com, Schaefer has generated offense for the Islanders at an incredible rate, posting the highest Rebounds Created Above Expected (11.7) among all defenders and a strong 57.9% On-Ice Goals%.
MATTHEW SCHAEFER WITH FOUR SECONDS LEFT IN THE FIRST! 😮💨
📺: @NHL_On_TNT & @StreamOnMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T pic.twitter.com/fUTm448Sta
— NHL (@NHL) February 4, 2026
On the Outside Looking In
- Artyom Levshunov, CHI
- Zeev Buium, VAN
- Emmitt Finnie, DET
- Arseny Gritsyuk, NJD
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