NHL Awards
Matvei Michkov Snubbed, Not Named a Calder Trophy Finalist
Flyers rookie phenom Matvei Michkov was NOT named a finalist for the Calder Trophy. Instead, the three finalists will be Lane Hutson (MTL), Macklin Celebrini (SJS), and Dustin Wolf (CGY).
Despite leading all rookies in goals (26), and being tied for the most points by a rookie forward (63), Michkov was not named one of the best three rookies this season.
While Michkov was never going to win the trophy, he should have been a finalist.
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Matvei Michkov was Snubbed
The plain and simple fact of the matter is that the Calder Trophy is Lane Hutson’s to lose. He had an impressive rookie season and is a big reason the Canadiens made the playoffs. None of the top four rookies could say that.
Despite not having a legitimate shot to win the award, Matvei Michkov should have been a finalist at least.
Compared to all other rookie skaters, Michkov was tied with Celebrini for the second most points at 63, had the most goals with 26, the most power-play goals at 8, and the most overtime goals with three.
Michkov scored more with fewer shots than Celebrini, and also averaged more than three minutes less on ice time. Michkov also turned the puck over far less than Celebrini.
Despite playing 10 games less than Michkov, Celebrini had 50 minutes more on ice time than Michkov.
As for Wolf, I do not want to discredit the efforts of a rookie netminder. He had a .910 save percentage and a 2.64 goals against average–impressive numbers for a rook.
However, March was not terribly kind to the rookie netminder. During a crucial stretch for the Flames’ postseason hope, the wheels had fallen off a bit for Wolf as Calgary faded away from the playoff picture. He turned things around and ended the season on a high note, but that stretch in March was enough that the case for Michkov over Wolf should have been made.
Matvei Michkov was snubbed.
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Thank Torts for that .
Take his Calder bonus iut of whatever they owe him next year.
The Anti-Flyers Bias in this league is sickening. I expected Hutson to get the award but Michkov absolutely should have been a finalist. The Flyers are treated like dirt by this league.
There was only one reason Michkov was not a finalist: He’s Russian. Perhaps if he was Ukrainian, he might have been a finalist.
There’s no anti Flyers bias or anti Russian sentiment against Michkov. Hudson was the reason that the Habs made the playoffs and he will be the probable winner. Celebrini had all the hype of being the #1 pick and Wolf helped a Canadian team almost make the playoffs.
If anything there is pro Canadian bias with Hudson and Wolf as opposed to anti Flyers bias with the league.
A couple examples:
Winter Classic vs. Boston. Flyers up 1-0 late. Boston suddenly gets two power plays in the last several minutes, leading to Flyers’ loss.
Stadium Series game in Lake Tahoe. Flyers’ set up to play a top team in Boston. Their roster is decimated by Covid but that’ll be fun to see the Flyers trounced on national television.
He’s a flyer. The league doesn’t like us. Hasn’t since became a team n won the cup! We notoriously get everything thrown at us. Just look at differences between when Morin n rempe!!! Ranger is awesome gets away with stuff. Morin would get a 5 min major just for finishing his check!!!
Being a healthy scratch and getting called out by the coach (even if it’s Torts) was highly publicized and may have affected some voters. But he played well enough to be a finalist.