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Ivan Demidov was one of the three finalists for the Calder Trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League's top rookie.
But he wasn't the one who won it.
Instead, it was Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer who took home the trophy this year. And frankly, without taking anything away from Demidov… Schaefer truly deserves it.
MATTHEW SCHAEFER IS THE 2026 CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY WINNER.
Read more: https://t.co/RuEg56HGFY pic.twitter.com/aIAOaBSGsN
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) May 13, 2026
It's worth noting that Beckett Sennecke was the third finalist for the trophy, alongside Schaefer and Demidov.
In terms of points, the Canadiens player led all rookies last season:
- 62 points (19 goals) for Demidov
- 60 points (23 goals) for Sennecke
- 59 points (23 goals) for Schaefer
Matthew Schaefer certainly earned that trophy. He broke the record for most goals scored by a rookie defenseman in the National Hockey League and helped the Islanders stay in the playoff picture.
He deserves the trophy.
As for Demidov, we can all agree this is far from the end of the world.
Sure, it would have been nice… especially given that the Canadiens would have had two consecutive Calder winners. Lane Hutson won the award in '24-'25, and it would have been cool to see Demidov do the same.
But that trophy won't determine the Russian's career either. There are National Hockey League legends who never won the Calder and went on to have stellar careers afterward…
