- Ivan Demidov, Matthew Schaefer and Beckett Sennecke are the finalists for the 2025-26 Calder Memorial Trophy
- Schaefer could become the youngest Calder winner in NHL history at 18 years old
- Read below for how each rookie stacked up in what turned into a three-horse race all season
The best rookie class in years has its final three.
The NHL announced Monday that Montreal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov, New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer and Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke are the finalists for the 2025-26 Calder Memorial Trophy, given annually to the league’s top first-year player. The Professional Hockey Writers Association handles the voting.
Schaefer is the headliner. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2025 draft walked into the Islanders lineup at 18 years old and immediately looked like he belonged. He set the record for most goals by an 18-year-old defenseman, became the youngest player in NHL history to score an overtime goal, and tied Brian Leetch’s record for most goals by a rookie rearguard with 23. His 59 points in 82 games made him the first defenseman in over 90 years to lead all rookies in goals.
If he wins, he’d be the youngest Calder winner ever at 18 years, 223 days old.
Demidov was the steadiest producer of the three. The fifth overall pick from the 2024 draft led all rookies with 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) while playing all 82 games for a Canadiens team that made the playoffs for a second straight season. He topped rookies in assists (43), even-strength assists (30) and power-play assists (13). A Demidov win would give Montreal back-to-back Calder winners after Lane Hutson took it home last year.
Sennecke rounded out the trio with a season nobody saw coming. The third overall pick from the 2024 draft wasn’t a lock to stick with the Ducks all year, but he erased every question about whether he belonged. He matched Schaefer with 23 goals and finished second among rookies with 60 points in 82 games. Anaheim hadn’t had a rookie appear in every game since Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.
The winner will be announced at a later date as part of the 2026 NHL Awards.
