The NHL officially announced their candidates for the Calder Memorial Trophy, which goes to the top-performing rookie in the NHL, on Tuesday, April 30. The names will come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the NHL closely this season. The Chicago Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard and the Minnesota Wild’s Brock Faber are both finalists and have been in a tight race for the top rookie spot all season. The New Jersey Devils’ Luke Hughes is the third finalist, and while he’s been talked about, Bedard and Faber have stolen the show. It is interesting to see only one forward with two defensemen as finalists.
At the beginning of the season, many, including myself, believed that Bedard would run away with the award, but then Faber came along. It’s easy to understand why Bedard stole the spotlight as soon as he was drafted and then the first time he stepped on the ice. He’s a gifted goal scorer with amazing offensive abilities, and while he bounced in and out of the number one spot, he did finish in first with 61 points. Faber and Hughes followed tied for second with 47 points each.
Hughes had the slight edge in goals with nine compared to Faber’s eight, but Faber edged Hughes in assists with 39 compared to Hughes’ 38. So they’re both nearly even when it comes to scoring, but defensively, Faber has the advantage. While the Calder typically goes to the player with the most points, Faber could have an edge when it comes to an all-around game. In this article, we’ll look at why Faber earned his nomination.
Faber Is a Star Defensively
When Faber joined the team in the 2023 postseason after his collegiate career ended, it was a surprise to many that a rookie was brought up for the playoffs. However, it didn’t take long to see why, as his defensive skills matched those of his veteran teammates. The skill and composure he had in his game did not resemble someone making his NHL debut. With some players, it’s obvious they’re brand new to the league, Faber had a maturity level not matched by many, and he didn’t make many mistakes.
Faber’s postseason debut was enough to impress the Wild’s coaching staff plus his work in this season’s training camp earned him a full-time spot on the roster. The Wild and Faber didn’t know it at the time, but it was one of the best decisions they made for what they were about to go through when it came to injuries.
They got their first taste of that when Jared Spurgeon was injured in the preseason and they had to figure out how to play without their leader. It was in December when the Wild were thrown for a loop as they lost both Jonas Brodin and Spurgeon in back-to-back games. This is when Faber started to show how strong of a defenseman he truly is. He stepped up to take over the number one defensive slot, took over running the number one power-play unit, continued his strong penalty killing, played over 30 minutes in several games, and was good at it. Also, it was later announced that he had played the final two months of the season with broken ribs, but he didn’t let it show at all.
Faber finished the season with 150 blocked shots, 35 giveaways and 15 takeaways. His turnovers could use a little work, but that will come with time. His blocked shots, on the other hand, were second on the Wild roster, just behind Jake Middleton, who had 161. If the trophy was based strictly on defensive abilities, Faber would win hands down.
Faber Has an Offensive Side
Typically, when people think of a team’s top defenseman, they don’t think of scoring unless it’s Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar, or Roman Josi. However, Faber will soon be added to that list, as well as Luke Hughes, with the offense they bring. They aren’t big goal scorers, but they rack up the assists and help their team score. Both players were just shy of 40 assists, and that’s a big accomplishment in the NHL.
Faber doesn’t experiment offensively too often outside of the power play, but he can score goals. He has a strong shot that can beat goaltenders when it gets through to the net. What’s fun to watch is when Faber carries the puck into the offensive zone. He had a few times throughout the season where he carried the puck deep and nearly got a shot on the net.
While every player can improve their game, one of the areas Faber could improve is his offensive zone confidence. He’s a great puck handler with a strong shot, but he doesn’t carry the puck as often as he could be. His main priority is the defensive side of the puck, but it would be great to see him take a chance here and there in the offensive zone more often.
Faber Earned Nomination
Ever since Faber jumped onto the scene in the Calder race, there’s been a constant debate over who should win between Bedard and Faber. Hughes has been mentioned but not nearly as much as the other two. Looking through past winners, it’s not always the top points-getter who wins, it also hasn’t been long since a defenseman took the coveted trophy.
Related: Connor Bedard vs. Brock Faber: Who Will Win the Calder Trophy?
Last season, Matty Beniers won, and the season before that was defenseman Moritz Seider. While Beniers was the top points-getter for rookies in 2022-23, Seider was in fourth when he took home the Calder, so it’s not always about the points. For Faber, it’s not about the offense or even the defense, but it’s about his all-around game. In every situation, whether offensively on the power play or defensively, he’s handled them smoothly and with far more composure than the majority of players his age.
Regardless if he pulls off what may be considered an upset by winning the Calder, or if he doesn’t, he’s still a great player who has done amazing things in his rookie season. He’s done things most rookies dream about, and he’s excelled at them.
Faber’s Bright Future
The Wild were quite lucky when they traded Kevin Fiala for Brock Faber and a draft pick that would eventually be Liam Ohgren. While Fiala is a great offensive player, the Wild needed another strong young defense to make his way up through the ranks. They got that and more in Faber. And this past season, they needed that more than they ever would’ve thought.
When Spurgeon and Bordin went down, Faber stepped into their spot with no issues. He still has plenty to learn as every rookie does, but he’s got a bright future ahead with a lot of potential to be a star in the NHL. Whether he wins the Calder or not, Faber is worthy of it and will likely be up for more awards throughout the rest of his career.