Matthews vs Laine - who's taking the Calder?

[blayze]

This is as tight a Calder race as I can remember.

I would say up until last month they were neck and neck, but with Laine's cold March and Matthews recent run, I'd say AM34 has pulled away.

Goal and Assist production are literally identical, granted Laine has played 7 less games. Having said that, it can be argued Matthews has been carrying a line of rookies all year and didn't really start to see the quality offensive ice time until the second half of the season. Even now he's on the 2nd PP. Laine has had primo ice time all season playing with studs. The argument can also be made that Matthews plays a more complete game and is obviously the stronger defensive player.

But above all that, Leafs - the last place team last year - are likely going to the playoffs (knock on ****ing wood) while Jets are going golfing. Ok maybe not golfing since they're in Winnipeg... ice fishing.

Who's your vote for? And yes... I'm a biased Leafs fan.

[blayze]

I hope you're right, but I think the production per game ratio will give Laine a slight edge in the voting, plus the fact that he's the more "highlight-reel" player.

This is all I gotta say about the "highlight-reel" comment...

[hockeyrobot]

Can't it just be Matt Murray??

I think whoever pulls ahead in points will win this. The Leafs have two games in hand so I guess Matthews is favored there. If Laine has more goals and points though, it's hard for me not to call him the rookie of the year. While I understand the factors mentioned like line mates and team success, those are generally accounted for in the Hart voting. I have never heard someone bring up team success in the Calder race before this year, but I live near Toronto so I know the media is a tad biased.

[JagrBomb]

Matthews is playing the harder position with less talented linemates, and is the main reason why the Leafs even have a shot at the playoffs.

1. Matthews
2. Laine
3. Werenski

[doulos]

Both fantastic players to watch but I still would vote for Laine at this point. Matthews likely has the better career though.

[C.J. Delmonico]

Matthews. I think the fact that the Leafs look playoff bound would be the deciding factor, in addition to the way they are finishing up the season with Matthews forcing his way ahead of Laine.

[blayze]

Can't it just be Matt Murray??

No.

[Kofax]

This is as tight a Calder race as I can remember.

I would say up until last month they were neck and neck, but with Laine's cold March and Matthews recent run, I'd say AM34 has pulled away.

Goal and Assist production are literally identical, granted Laine has played 7 less games. Having said that, it can be argued Matthews has been carrying a line of rookies all year and didn't really start to see the quality offensive ice time until the second half of the season. Even now he's on the 2nd PP. Laine has had primo ice time all season playing with studs. The argument can also be made that Matthews plays a more complete game and is obviously the stronger defensive player.

But above all that, Leafs - the last place team last year - are likely going to the playoffs (knock on ****ing wood) while Jets are going golfing. Ok maybe not golfing since they're in Winnipeg... ice fishing.

Who's your vote for? And yes... I'm a biased Leafs fan.

All of these are part of the reasons why Matthews should win.

Add in the fact that Laine's S% and on ice team S% are starting to fall from the unsustainable levels they've been at for most of the season as his luck finally regresses.

I think it needs to be a 4 horse race at this point as Werenski is right there with Laine right now. Murray is tough as he is a rookie by the definition, but he's already kind of gone through his rookie year. He needs to be in the discussion as well though. I still think Matthews should (being the key word) come out ahead.

[2014olympicgold]

Matthews. Based on position and that he's taking his team to the playoffs.

[doulos]

It really is an award that just gets doled out based on the whims of the voters. In the Landeskog vs Nugent-Hopkins year you had a winger who won the award over a centerman, who was considerably worse offensively, but had "intangibles". Trying to figure out who will actually win this award is impossible sometimes.

I figure Matthews would need to lose by 10-15 points overall to have any chance of losing this (similar to a Crosby vs McDavid thing)

[doulos]

I don't understand the basis for that?
I hear people swooning over Laine this year way more than they did over Landeskog when he won. Plus Nuge outproduced him (significantly) AND Nuge is a centre.
And if some people think Matthews will win because of media bias, I think they're nuts.
If anything, that is another reason he won't win. The media will go out of their way to find more reasons to choose Laine or Werenski or Murray instead.

I don't think you should try and apply much logic to award voting. It's more about 'feel' than we probably want to think.

[CascadeFilly]

For what it's worth, I think Matthews is going to win, and voted as such. I just don't get why anyone really cares who wins.

[doulos]

For what it's worth, I think Matthews is going to win, and voted as such. I just don't get why anyone really cares who wins.

Why does anyone care about anything?

[CascadeFilly]

Why does anyone care about anything?

Pretty sure it's dependant on the 'thing'.

[RizzeeDizzee]

Matthews plays for Toronto, Laine for Winnipeg. In a close enough race that tells you pretty much all you need to know.