Top three Western Conference Calder Trophy Candidates for 2017-18

Who is your pick?

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Top three Western Conference Calder Trophy Candidates for 2017-18
Keystone Press

The 2017-18 NHL season is still over a month away, but it's never too early to start discussing potential Calder Trophy candidates. 

The Western Conference is home to three prime candidates entering the season, with Joel Eriksson Ek of the Minnesota Wild, Clayton Keller of the Arizona Coyotes and Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks all destined for great things.

1. Joel Eriksson Ek, Minnesota Wild - Eriksson Ek is a well-rounded two-way forward who possess an excellent shot and terrific passing ability. He racked up three goals and seven points in 15 games with the Wild last season and was very dominant for Team Sweden at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships. Eriksson Ek will benefit from the offseason departures of Erik Haula and Martin Hanzal and could begin the season as the team's third-line center. He's shown the poise and maturity to be a regular at the NHL level.

2. Clayton Keller, Arizona Coyotes - Keller possesses tremendous skill that has some comparing him to current Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane. While he only listed at 5'10", Keller has been extremely productive at every level he's played at. It's obvious that small and skilled forwards can have success in the NHL and Keller is likely next in line. The 19-year-old is intelligent, fast and dynamic, making him a potential future No.1 center. He turned heads at the World Juniors with USA this past season and is ready to make his mark at the NHL level.

3. Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks - Boeser got his first taste of NHL action in 2016-17, notching three goals in eight games. He was very impressive, showcasing his lethal shot and terrific skating ability. The 20-year-old could land on a line with Bo Horvat, meaning we may be looking at the NHL’s next dynamic duo. Boeser has a very high ceiling and will likely be given a significant power-play role this season, so he’s definitely one to watch. The University of North Dakota product knows how to find the back of the net and Vancouver fans have been longing for him to join the club full-time.

There are plenty of other solid candidates from the Western Conference including Alex DeBringcat of the Chicago Blackhawks, Julius Honka of the Dallas Stars, Dylan Strome of the Arizona Coyotes and Tyson Jost of the Colorado Avalanche. The field is certainly wide open and it will be interesting to see who emerges as the front-runners.



Source: