New York Islanders Daily: Mathew Barzal Nominated For Calder

New York Islanders rookie center Mathew Barzal was nominated for the Calder Trophy after his impressive 2017-2018 season.

The biggest surprise of the 2017-2018 New York Islanders season was the emergence of Mathew Barzal. It wasn’t that he didn’t have a high ceiling as a prospect, it was how fast he burst onto the scene and how different he looked from his two games last year.

Barzal’s impressive and historic rookie season yielded him a Calder Trophy nomination along with Clayton Keller and Brock Boeser.

Barzal finished his rookie season with 85 points (22 goals, 63 assists) leading the Islanders. His assist total was good enough for third all-time as a rookie and tied with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Bryan Trottier.

Both Clayton Keller and Brock Boeser had fine seasons as well. Keller finished with 65 points (23 goals, 42 assists) and Boeser finished with 55 points (29 goals, 26 assists) before he got hurt finishing his season with 62 games played.

Putting any bias aside, Mathew Barzal has to come home with this trophy. He blew every other rookie out of the water and that’s no disrespect to Keller and Boeser who are blossoming stars as well.

Barzal’s season was for the record books, and one of the few bright spots of the season. June 20, at the NHL awards you’ll be able to see Barzal take home the award.

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