The Calder Trophy race has been impacted by injuries, particularly for standout rookie Macklin Celebrini, who ranks third in rookie scoring despite missing games. Celebrini leads the San Jose Sharks in faceoff wins and is a key contributor on the power play. Meanwhile, Matvei Michkov and Lane Hutson are also making significant impacts for their respective teams.

Other rookies like Will Smith and Cutter Gauthier show promise but have faced challenges. Goalies Dustin Wolf and Yaroslav Askarov are also under scrutiny as they navigate their early careers in the NHL.