Red Wings’ Moritz Seider named finalist for Calder Trophy

The Detroit Red Wings haven’t had a Calder Trophy winner as NHL’s top rookie since 1965.

Moritz Seider has an excellent chance to end that drought.

Seider was named Wednesday as a Calder Trophy finalist, along with Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Michael Bunting and Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras.

Red Wings left wing Lucas Raymond missed the cut.

Seider might be the favorite after flourishing at both ends of the ice as a 20-year-old who turned 21 on April 6.

The 6-4 Seider was matched up against opponents’ top lines and best players throughout the season, leading the team in average ice time (23:09) and appearing in all 82 games. He was strong defensively, played with a physical edge and moved the puck fast and efficiently.

Seider, the No. 6 pick in 2019, provided more offense than the Red Wings anticipated. He led the team and all rookies with 43 assists and finished fourth among rookies in points (50). He manned the point on the top power-play unit and led all rookies with 21 power-play points.

Goaltender Roger Crozier was the most recent Red Wing to win the Calder (1964-65 season).

Bunting, at 26, is older than most rookies but met the Calder qualification requirement (26 or under on Sept. 15 of rookie season). He led rookies with 63 points (including 23 goals) in 79 games. A late bloomer, he spent five-plus seasons in the AHL before appearing in 26 games over parts of two seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, who drafted him in the fourth round (117th overall) in 2014.

The Leafs signed him as a free agent last summer.

Zegras was second among rookies with 61 points and tied for second with 23 goals. He was drafted ninth overall in 2019.

Raymond, the fourth overall selection in 2020 who turned 20 on March 28, ranked third among rookies with 57 points and was tied for second with 23 goals.

The NHL Awards Show will take place between Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Final in the host city of those games.

More:

Seider’s case for the Calder

The order of the top 16 picks in the draft has been determined

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