Former Saginaw Spirit captain, Brandon Saad –who is currently playing on the top line in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs for the Chicago Blackhawks- was named 1-of the-3 finalists for the 2012-13 Calder Memorial Trophy on Monday. The Calder Trophy is awarded annually to the top rookie in the NHL.
Montreal Canadiens winger, Brendan Gallagher and Florida Panthers center, Jonathan Huberdeau are the two other finalists for the award; which will be announced during the 2012-13 Stanley Cup final in June.
Gallagher, who celebrated his twenty-first birthday Monday, had 15-goals and 13-assists for 28-points in 44-games for the Canadiens this season. Gallagher was a fifth round pick (147 overall) by Montreal in the 2010 NHL draft. Gallagher has 2-goals in the first round of Montreals first round playoff series with Ottawa.
Huberdeau, the number-three pick in 2011, finished second in scoring for the Panthers with 31 points (14-goals, 17-assists) in 48-games. Huberdeau tied for first in rookie scoring with Edmonton Oilers winger, Nail Yakupov, who was the number-one overall pick in the 2012 NHL draft.
The twenty year-old Saad tallied 27-points (10-goals, 17-assists) in 46-games for Chicago. A second-round pick (43 overall) in the 2011 NHL draft, the Gibsonia, Pa native began the 2012-13 campaign with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League, where he went 8-12-20 in 31 contests, before the NHL settled the lockout and finally kicked off the 2012-13 season.
It remains to be seen which player will finish the strongest in the playoffs, but the money would certainly have to be with the former Spirit captain; as his Blackhawks are the favorites to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup next month.
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May 07, 2013
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