Calder Memorial Trophy

Description: First awarded in 1932-33, the Calder Memorial Trophy is presented annually “to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition.”

Voting: Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association submit ballots for the Calder Memorial Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists.

History: From 1936-37 until his death in 1943, NHL President Frank Calder purchased a trophy each year to be given permanently to the League’s outstanding rookie. After Calder’s death, the NHL presented the Calder Memorial Trophy in his memory.

Eligibility: To be eligible for the Calder Memorial Trophy, a player cannot have played more than 25 games in any single preceding season nor in six or more games in each of any two preceding seasons in any major professional league. Beginning in 1990-91, a player must not have attained his 26th birthday by Sept. 15 of the season in which he is eligible.

2025-26 Winner: New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer won the 2025‑26 Calder Memorial Trophy. As the first choice on all 198 ballots, Schaefer became the first unanimous Calder Trophy winner since Winnipeg Jets right wing Teemu Selanne received first-place votes on all 50 ballots cast after his historic 76-goal season in 1992‑93. At 18 years, 223 days on the final day of the regular season, Schaefer also became the youngest Calder Trophy winner in NHL history – one day younger than Nathan MacKinnon in 2013‑14 (18 years, 224 days w/ COL). Schaefer, the No. 1 overall selection from the 2025 NHL Draft, became the sixth player in Islanders history to capture the Calder Trophy and the first since Mathew Barzal in 2017‑18. Schaefer rewrote the League’s record book for production by an 18-year-old defenseman with 23-36—59 in 82 games. Among his lengthy list of accomplishments, Schaefer became the youngest blueliner in NHL history to register a point in his League debut, the youngest player (at any position) in NHL history to score an overtime goal and the first defenseman in more than 90 years to lead rookies (outright or tied) in goals. His 23 goals matched the single-season NHL record for a rookie blueliner (of any age), while his goal and point totals surpassed Phil Housley (17-40—57 in 1982‑83 w/ BUF) for the most by an 18-year-old defenseman. Schaefer, who placed fifth among rookies in plus/minus (+13), achieved these feats while topping New York and all NHL rookies with 2,023:59 of total time on ice – more than 500 minutes ahead of the next-closest rookie in 2025‑26.