Chicago Blackhawks winger Artemi Panarin won the 2015-16 Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition,” it was announced Wednesday at the NHL Awards at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Panarin led all rookies in scoring with 77 points, goals (30) and assists (47) in 80 games. The 24-year-old rookie tied Gostisbehere and three others with eight power-play goals.
Chicago has eight Calder winners: Mike Karakas (1936), Cully Dahlstrom (1938), Ed Litzenberger (1955), Bill Hay (1960), Tony Eposito (1970), Steve Larmer (1983), Ed Belfour (1991) and Patrick Kane (2008).
The other two finalists were Edmonton Oilers‘ forward Connor McDavid, the top overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, and Philadelphia Flyers‘ defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere.
McDavid scored 16 goals and 48 points in just 45 games, and he missed three months because of a broken collarbone. He was named the league’s rookie of the month a record three times this season. Gostisbehere scored a franchise record 17 goals for a rookie blue liner after his promotion from AHL Lehigh Valley on Nov. 14. The Flyers and Oilers have never had a Calder winner.
Members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association submitted ballots for the Calder Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists.
Calder voting pic.twitter.com/CExJrynV67
— Sean Leahy (@Sean_Leahy) June 22, 2016