2018 Calder Trophy race: 5 best rookies in the NHL

4. Mikhail Sergachev

Another defenseman for the list, Mikhail Sergachev was always likely to make headlines this season.

The Tampa Bay blueliner had one of the most turbulent summers of any rookie heading into this NHL campaign. Still just a teenager, Sergachev was drafted ninth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2016.

He was Montreal’s prized defensive prospect, hailed as the heir to Andrei Markov. But then the Habs parted with their top trade chip for scoring help, and Sergachev found himself leaving Canada for sunny Florida as he joined up with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The offensively-gifted blueliner could not have asked for a better situation. Tampa has been the best team in the NHL through the first half of the season, and Sergachev has been a major part of that success. He is the top-scoring rookie defenseman with eight goals and 27 points so far, and looks the part as a future top tier team cornerstone.

As impressive as Sergachev has been though, it is tough for defensemen to win the Calder. And, in all honesty, the Russian should be behind Boston’s Charlie McAvoy (who plays more minutes and tougher situations) in voting. But that should not detract from a quality rookie campaign that could leave Montreal fans lamenting the loss of Sergachev for years to come.