NHL: Edmonton Oilers at San Jose Sharks - Source: Imagn — NHL insider PK Subban shared his favorite to win the Calder Trophy and that isn't Macklin Celebrini (Source: Imagn)

P.K. Subban ditches Macklin Celebrini to crown $2,850,000 Canadiens rookie as the undisputed Calder Trophy champion

Modified Apr 05, 2025 20:21 GMT

P.K. Subban picked Lane Hutson over Macklin Celebrini for the 2024-25 Calder Trophy. On Saturday, Subban shared a video on X where he said Hutson is his favorite player to watch in the NHL and believes Hutson should win if the Montreal Canadiens make the playoffs.

"This is my favorite player to watch in the National Hockey League. Two weeks ago, I said Macklin Celebrini should have been the Rookie of the Year. If the Montreal Canadiens make it into the playoffs, that is Lane Hutson's trophy, and it should be his trophy," Subban said.

Hutson, who signed a three-year, $2,850,000 contract, has had a strong rookie season. He scored 62 points in 75 games, including five goals and 57 assists. He leads all rookies in blocked shots with 115. He also has 51 takeaways. Hutson plays over 22.0 minutes per game and over 28.0 per game in some games.

Subban praised Montreal’s team effort, specifically Nick Suzuki reaching 81 points and Cole Caufield’s strong play.

"He (Hutson) has been outstanding, led by Nick Suzuki, captain, first player since Alex Kovalev to reach the 80-point mark in a season," Subban said. "He had 84, he's got 81 points. Cole Caufield's been great, Montembeault's been great. But this team's galvanized. They are pushing."

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Celebrini has played 63 games for the Sharks. He has 21 goals and 33 assists for 54 points. He has a minus-31 rating but has brought too much attention to the Sharks' game after his draft in 2024.

Another player in the Calder Trophy race is Matvei Michkov, who has scored 24 goals and 34 assists in 74 games for the Flyers. He has 15 power-play points and his rating is minus-13, but his offense has been steady.

Flames goalie Dustin Wolf joins the Calder Trophy race

Another strong candidate for the Calder Trophy is Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf. He has secured 25 wins with a save percentage of .910 and a 2.63 goals-against average. He has also secured three shutouts, but his chances of winning the trophy depend on Calgary's spot in the playoffs.

All four players, including Macklin Celebrini, have made a strong case for the Calder Trophy. However, if the Canadiens reach the playoffs, Subban feels the Calder Trophy should go to Hutson.

About the author

Ankit is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with 3 years of experience as a travel writer. His interest in ice hockey was piqued after watching Sidney Crosby play and he has been passionately following the game since then. Ankit admires Crosby’s personality and hockey IQ, and when he crossed the 1,500 points tally, Ankit was among the biggest fans to celebrate the occasion.

An Edmonton Oilers fan because of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Ankit also admires the Pittsburgh Penguins due to Crosby and the Colorado Avalanche for Nathan MacKinnon. He is also a fan of Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr, while John Tortorella is his favorite coach of all time due to his outspoken personality.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, Ankit believes his education has helped him develop a knack for presenting information in a precise and compelling manner. He only sources information from credible avenues and trusted people from his network for his articles.

When he is not watching or writing about the NHL, Ankit loves listening to music and reading books.

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