Calder Profiles: Matt Duchene
NHL Hot Stove presents it’s “Calder Profiles” series which will profile the top candidates for the 2009-2010 Calder Award.
When a player is compared to a historical great such as Steve Yzerman, one must take into consideration the pros and cons of a rookie campaign. For Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche, his rookie campaign leads him towards a Calder trophy.
Matthew Duchene was born on January 16, 1991 in Haliburton, Ontario, Canada. His professional career began when he started playing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2007-08. That year, Duchene went on to score 30 goals and record 50 points in his rookie campaign.
The following season, he improved to 79 points in 57 games, then added 26 points in the post-season, helping the Battalion to the J. Ross Robertson Cup Finals.
Unfortunate for Duchene, they were defeated by the eventual Memorial Cup champions, the Windsor Spitfires.
Categories: Calder Profiles, Colorado Avalanche, NHLHS Features, Northwest, Western Conference Tags: Calder, Calder trophy, Colorado Avalanche, Joe Sakic, John Tavares, Matt Duchene, Mike Richards, OHL, Rookie of the Year, Steve Yzerman, Victor Hedman, Windsor Spitfires
Calder Profiles: James van Riemsdyk
NHLHS writer Dave Strehle takes a look at Philadelphia Flyers rookie forward James van Riemsdyk.
The 2006-07 season was the worst in the history of the Philadelphia Flyers’ franchise as they finished last overall, and for their troubles they received the #2 overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft via the Draft Lottery.
With that draft pick, Philadelphia picked left wing James van Riemsdyk, a local kid born in Middletown, New Jersey on May 4th, 1989. Ironically, van Riemsdyk grew up a fan of the Flyers’ arch-rival New York Rangers.
The 6′ 3″, 200 pound van Riemsdyk took a little longer to make it to the NHL than did the #1 overall pick that year, fellow-American Patrick Kane, who was taken by the Chicago Blackhawks. While Kane made the jump right to Chicago and eventually won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie that season, van Riemsdyk decided to go to college at the University of New Hampshire.
Categories: Atlantic, Calder Profiles, Eastern Conference, NHLHS Features, Philadelphia Flyers Tags: Calder trophy, James van Riemsdyk, john leclair, John Tavares, Matt Duchene, Patrick Kane, Philadelphia Flyers, Tyler Myers
