The NHL announced that New Jersey Devils rookie defenseman Luke Hughes was named a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition.” Hughes joins the Chicago Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard and the Minnesota Wild’s Brock Faber on the list of finalists.
Hughes made his debut with the Devils at the tail end of the 2022-23 season, scoring one goal and one assist in two games. Furthermore, he joined New Jersey for their playoff run last season, where he cemented his roster spot for the 2023-24 season. Quinn and Luke Hughes became the first pair of brothers to be voted as Calder Trophy Finalists in NHL history.
Hughes’ 2023-24 Rookie Season
Hughes had a record-breaking season with the Devils during his rookie campaign. In 82 games, he scored nine goals added 38 assists for 47 points, setting the Devils’ franchise record for points by a defenseman. Among rookies, he ranked second in points and led rookie defensemen in goals.
Despite being a rookie, Hughes earned the most playing time among the Devils, averaging 21:28 of ice time. He also ranked first in 22-plus mile per hour bursts by a defenseman with 25. His top speed this season was 24.19 mph. Moreover, Hughes ranked second in power-play points with 25, only trailing his brother, Jack Hughes.
Hughes’ 2023-24 campaign was impressive and allowed him to gain valuable experience that will further improve his overall play. The Devils have a special player who will help the team in the near and far future and a Calder Trophy nomination is a fitting end to his rookie campaign.
Hughes’ Competition
Brock Faber
The Minnesota Wild defenseman finished his rookie campaign with the same number of points that Hughes did. He registered eight goals and 39 assists for a total of 47 points. He also appeared in all 82 games for the Wild. Faber averaged a whopping 24:58 in time on ice, almost three and a half more minutes than Hughes. Furthermore, the native Minnesotan was used heavily on the power play, finishing with 16 power-play points. Nevertheless, Hughes registered nine more points on the power play with 25.
The comparison between Faber and Hughes is extremely close. However, Hughes is a year younger than Faber and stepped into a role that no one expected him to fill due to New Jersey’s injuries. Faber also was thrown into a position where he had to play more minutes than anticipated due to injuries. The difference between Hughes and Faber lie in the underlying numbers.
Related: Bedard, Faber & Hughes Named Calder Trophy Finalists
According to Natural Stat Trick, Hughes ranked first in Corsi For % amongst rookies with a minimum 200 minutes played. He registered an impressive 60.70 CF%. Faber registered a 47.71 CF%, putting him in the 23rd. In terms of defending, Hughes also beats Faber in expected goals against percentage. Hughes registered a 91.2 xGA% while Faber registered a 107.61 xGA%.
Despite better underlying numbers, the Calder Trophy is largely awarded to the rookie who accumulates the most points throughout their rookie season. Hughes and Faber are both worthy of the trophy, albeit Hughes slightly more, but Connor Bedard is the heavy favorite to win.
Connor Bedard
The 2023 first-overall pick did not disappoint in his rookie season, finishing the season with 22 goals and 39 assists for 61 points. He played in 68 games and averaged 19:47 time on ice. There is no denying Bedard will have a successful and lengthy NHL career. However, he was arguably not the best rookie to play this season. His CF% was a lackluster 44.8%, marginally worse than Hughes. The Blackhawk registered more points than Hughes and Faber, but that is largely due to his position. He is the only forward nominated for the award and will likely win purely due to his point totals.
Entering the 2023-24 season, the Calder Trophy was Bedard’s award to lose. The hype, expectations, and excitement around the forward thrust him into the NHL spotlight. He definitely deserves the nomination and in reality, all three rookies had Calder-Trophy-worthy seasons.
Unfortunately, only one rookie can win the Calder Trophy. The award is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association and though points are usually the determining factor, it would be refreshing to see a player being awarded for their overall play. Taking into account position, impact, points, durability, impact, underlying statistics, and situations, Luke Hughes deserves the Calder. However, we will have to wait until June 27 to see who walks away with it.
