Olympic champion and Stanley Cup winner Aleksey Kovalyev expressed his belief that the primary contender for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the best rookie of the season, is New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Shear, rather than Ivan Demidov, the Russian forward from the Montreal Canadiens.

“If I had to choose between Demidov and Shear, I would go with the Islanders’ defenseman. He takes on leadership responsibilities and logs significant ice time, which is crucial. He possesses a youthful confidence that conveys, ‘This is my spot, and I won’t give it up,’” Kovalyev stated, as reported by RG.

Previously, the North American publication The Athletic released a ranking of the top contenders for the Calder Trophy in the upcoming NHL season.