Calder Trophy Power Rankings: Zegras on track for superstardom

In our third edition of the 2021-22 Calder Trophy Power Rankings, we welcome two first-timers to the list and introduce a new, but perhaps predictable, owner of the top spot.

COVID-19 outbreaks and postponements across the league made it harder to gauge performances over this past month, but without further ado, here are the league's top five freshmen now that the calendar's flipped.

5. Tanner Jeannot, Predators

Previous rank: N/A

Jeannot is an unheralded story beginning to make his mark in the NHL. The 24-year-old winger went undrafted and spent four years in junior before bouncing between the AHL and ECHL. He recorded a modest seven points in 15 games for the Predators last season, but he's evolved into a key contributor for a resurgent Nashville squad this campaign.

Jeannot is tied for the rookie lead in goals (10) and tops every player on our list with 1.3 goals per 60 minutes at even strength. It's worth noting that Jeannot is shooting an unsustainable 19.2% this year, but he deserves recognition after pacing all rookies in points over this past month.

4. Anton Lundell, Panthers

Previous rank: N/A

Lundell is a long shot to win the award at season's end, but he'll be a dark-horse candidate to be a finalist if he keeps up his recent form. The 12th overall pick from 2020 ranks second in rookie scoring since our last Calder list, and all nine of his points in that span came at even strength.

Lundell has also posted sparkling underlying numbers, which isn't an easy feat for a 20-year-old center still testing the NHL waters. He's hard-pressed to garner national attention on a Panthers team rife with stars, but Florida appears to have another gem in its system.

3. Moritz Seider, Red Wings

Previous rank: 3rd

Seider continues to log huge minutes and put up points, but his underlying numbers took a massive hit over the past month with a miserable 38.38% expected goals rate across 11 games. The rearguard managed a 54.86% actual goals clip in that same span to minimize the damage, but Seider will have to pump his numbers back up if he wants to take home some hardware at season's end.

All that said, it's typical for young defensemen to endure highs and lows while figuring out the league. Seider still ranks third in rookie scoring this season and possesses all the tools to become Detroit's No. 1 blue-line option for years to come.

2. Lucas Raymond, Red Wings

Previous rank: 1st

For the first time this year, Raymond's fallen off the top of the podium. The Detroit dynamo still leads all rookies in scoring, but his points-per-game clip dropped last month. He's also seen his underlying statistics drastically plummet as well.

Since our last installment, Raymond managed only one goal and fired just 14 shots on net. He may have hit a rookie wall, but it still wasn't an easy decision to drop him a spot. He's neck-and-neck with our top candidate in many statistics this season, and he's by no means out of the Calder race.

1. Trevor Zegras, Ducks

Previous rank: 2nd

Zegras has officially arrived. The Ducks' brightest star produced 11 points over 10 games last month and went viral for arguably the highlight of the year after his alley-oop assist to teammate Sonny Milano. Whether they lead to goals or not, the dazzling plays he pulls off on a nightly basis help grow the game and will certainly carry significant weight for Calder voters.

Zegras also plays fundamentally sound hockey at both ends of the ice, and he's in the positives in all the key advanced metrics. Rookie of the year will be his if he keeps producing at this rate and helps an underdog Anaheim squad reach the playoffs.

Honorable mentions: Seth Jarvis (CAR), Jeremy Swayman (BOS), Dawson Mercer (NJ)

(Analytics source: Evolving-Hockey)