Before Lane Hutson was announced as the Calder Trophy winner by the NHL on Tuesday morning, a Montreal Canadiens player had not won the honour since 1972 when Ken Dryden won it. Brendan Gallagher came painfully close in 2012-13 when the votes he received gave him a total of 1048 points, while the winner, Florida Panthers’ Jonathan Huberdeau, had 1141 points.
Could another Hab win it next year, however? Is there a chance that a Canadiens player could grab the coveted away time in a row? With the hype that surrounds Ivan Demidov right now, it’s hard to rule it out completely. After all, he was able to make an impact at the tail end of the season when he arrived from the KHL.
Canadiens: Lane Hutson In Elite Company
Canadiens Amongst Most Active Teams According To Friedman
Canadiens: Hutson Finished Ninth In James Norris Trophy Voting
Of course, Demidov won’t be alone in the race, but at this stage, he does sound like one of the top contenders. It wouldn’t be the first time two teammates won the Calder Trophy in a row, though. It has happened a few times, although it was easier to do when there were only six teams in the league. Three teammates claimed it three years in a row for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
From 1942 to 1944, the Leafs dominated the Calder Cup with Gaye Stewart, Gus Bodnar, and Frank McCool winning it three years in a row. Then, Gump Worsley and Camille Henry did it for the New York Rangers in 1952 and 1953. Fourteen years later, Bobby Orr and Derek Sanderson accomplished the feat for the Boston Bruins, and it hasn’t happened since, which coincides with the start of the Expansion Era in 1967-68.
The Calgary Flames had two players win it in three years when Gary Suter claimed it in 1985-86 and Joe Nieuwendyk did in 1987-88, but no team came closer than that. If Demidov picks up where he left off in the small sample we saw, that possibility is sure to become one of the stories of the next season.
Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens’ page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
Read the full article here
