Connor Bedard and Brock Faber are the focus of this year’s NHL Calder Trophy race, but last year’s battle lasted right up until the end.
We saw the top two picks from the 2021 draft class and former University of Michigan teammates Matty Beniers and Owen Power battle it out along with Stuart Skinner, a netminder who came out of nowhere to help save the Edmonton Oilers’ season.
Beniers came out on top, taking home the NHL’s rookie of the year award. But how have they been doing a year later? Let’s look back at last year’s Calder finalists and check in on whether they followed it up with a better year, a sophomore slump or a similar season.
Matty Beniers, C, Seattle Kraken
2022-23: 24 goals, 33 assists, 57 points in 80 games
2023-24: 13 goals, 20 assists, 33 points in 70 games
The slump is on.
The winner of last year’s Calder has had the toughest season of the three finalists. Much like the Kraken as a whole, Beniers hasn’t been able to recapture the magic he had last year. Despite holding onto his role as the team’s No. 1 center, his production is way down. Beniers hasn’t been able to weaponize his speed as he did in his rookie year, resulting in muted scoring totals.
The Kraken got a taste of playoff action last year, and Beniers was a massive part of what got them there. Growing pains happen for young players, especially when they are thrust into premier roles right off the bat.
Beniers will be one of the most popular bounce-back candidates next season as he will look to take a step and become a leader on the NHL’s newest franchise.
Stuart Skinner, G, Edmonton Oilers
2022-23: .914 save percentage, 2.75 goals-against average, 29-14-5
2023-24: .906 save percentage, 2.63 goals-against average, 33-14-5
His season started about as rough as possible, with the Oilers struggling to keep the puck out of their net. Skinner and then-tandem-mate Jack Campbell played a major role in that. Neither goalie could stop a beach ball, but Campbell was sent down despite having a slightly better save percentage at the time, and Skinner was given the crease. He eventually took the reins and ran with it.
Skinner has been fantastic and steadied the net for the Oilers as they’ve gone from playoff afterthought to true contender since November. The fact Skinner has raised his save percentage to where it’s at after sitting at .856 at the time of Campbell’s demotion is impressive. He helped Edmonton bounce back, and he has solidified himself as the Oilers’ netminder as they head into the playoffs, where a deep run is expected.
Related: The Edmonton Oilers Are a Different Beast
Owen Power, D, Buffalo Sabres
2022-23: 4 goals, 31 assists, 35 points in 79 games
2023-24: 6 goals, 24 assists, 30 points in 70 games
Adjusting to the NHL is tough sometimes, and Owen Power is finding out just how difficult it is when the league begins to adjust to your play.
The 2021 first overall pick has been a bit less assertive this season with the puck on his stick, and his defensive game still sticks out as a weak point. He hasn’t had a bad season or a sophomore slump necessarily, but much like the Sabres, he just hasn’t taken the step everyone expected.
Power is a physical specimen as a defenseman at 6-foot-6 and 221 pounds. He skates like the wind, has the size that every NHL team covets on the back end and plays a modern game looking to move the puck and create from the blueline.
This season may not have been the step forward that he had hoped, but he has still been one of Buffalo’s best defensemen this year. Power, Rasmus Dahlin and the recently acquired Bowen Byram are a fantastic trio to build around on the blueline.
Related: Brock Faber Faces an Uphill Battle to Catch Connor Bedard for the NHL’s 2024 Calder Trophy
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Related: Why the Buffalo Sabres Should Pursue a Stop-Gap Goaltender
News Summary:
- NHL Calder Trophy Flashback: Did Last Year's Finalists Avoid the Slump?
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.