Kinda funny how recently every defenseman that has lost the Calder is a LD and every defenseman that has won is a RD

add 3 defense that won and the 7 forwards and you can see how heavily the Calder favors forwards

That's true! Weird

I don't think it's that The Calder favors forwards, just that it's easier for forwards to have Calder level rookie seasons, or at least far more common. A good rookie season for a young Dman, even a high end one, doesn't necessarily look like an award winning season. Dmen who can Dominate as rookies Don't come around often. On the other hand, you can pretty much always count on there being a couple of forwards who can come in and score 30 goals or 60 points or something.

I don't think it's that The Calder favors forwards, just that it's easier for forwards to have Calder level rookie seasons, or at least far more common. A good rookie season for a young Dman, even a high end one, doesn't necessarily look like an award winning season. Dmen who can Dominate as rookies Don't come around often. On the other hand, you can pretty much always count on there being a couple of forwards who can come in and score 30 goals or 60 points or something.

I think its more that is focuses on a players production than other aspects of a players game. For example I could argue McAvoy had the better rookie season than Connor, Keller, and Boeser but due to only getting 31 points he was behind them

That's fair, but it's also never going to change because most of the writers who vote on those awards also tend to hate "nerd stats", and without those there are no good ways to evaluate the things that Dmen like McAvoy and Heiskanen did well as rookies that would would elevate them over point producing forwards.

The Calder is just which rookie had the best season, not about the potential future of the players. Looking back at most of the years it's not really close. Just playing the full season and being on a Playoff team is where most of the separation happens.

The 15-16 Calder is the perfect example of that. Panarin (80 games, Playoffs) wins over Ghost (64 games, Playoffs), McDavid (45 games, no Playoffs), and Eichel (80 games, no Playoffs). If McDavid/Ghost plays a full season it could/should have been a closer vote. Or say Eichel and Panarin were swapped teams Eichel probably runs away with it.

I don't agree with the being on a Playoff team part sometimes, but it is easier to pad your stats and have flaws covered up when you play on good teams overall.

What about barzal. The islanders drafted 11th that year.

Look who finished behind him. Boeser missed a bunch of games and was on a worse team. Keller played a full season with much worse stats and a worse team. Conner played most of the season, worse stats, less important position, but made the Playoffs. McAvoy missed a bunch of games, but made the Playoffs.

Barzal was a runaway winner with being a PPG, top-6 center without much other competition.