The 2023-24 rookie class is as stacked as it can get, highlighted by the likes of the phenom Connor Bedard, Logan Cooley, Adam Fantilli and more. With Bedard being a clear favorite to capture the Calder Trophy, Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis joined Daily Faceoff Live to discuss why St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer could be an underdog in the race.
Frank Seravalli: We know Connor Bedard is the runaway favourite for the Calder this year. But as Connor McDavid’s rookie year also reminds us, it’s also about health. Give us an under-the-radar guy who will be in the conversation that you think will make some noise.
Steven Ellis: This is a stacked Calder race, and there are so many good options this year, but the one guy I’m keeping an eye on is Joel Hofer. Whenever there’s a year when there are so many talented forwards, and this year there are a few defensemen, it’s always interesting because goaltenders get overlooked.
I think with Hofer, he hasn’t played a lot and is going to start the season as the backup to Jordan Binnington, but I remember the conversations when Hofer went on that little run last year, and people were saying, ‘Oh, could he be the starting goalie by next year.’ I think so; I think he can challenge for the start. His stats might not look incredible, but he was a workhorse for a really bad Springfield team for years. it kind of fell apart last year during the playoffs, but the season before that, he was the only reason they won games in a lot of cases. I think this is someone who, at every level, has played a lot of games and has faced a lot of shots, and he’s ready for that. I think with St. Louis, there’s an opportunity here with Binnington being so up and down, but maybe we will see a new number-one goalie by December.
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