Calder looks to be Kane's

Patrick Kane appears to be the favorite choice of National League Hockey writers to win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, which comes as no surprise to Blackhawks coach Denis Savard.

In a poll conducted by the Daily Herald of voting members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, the early returns show Kane emerging as the clear-cut pick over teammate Jonathan Toews and Nicklas Backstrom of the Washington Capitals. Even among writers covering Eastern Conference teams, Kane is a favorite pick.

"No, it doesn't surprise me," Savard said. "He's been our go-to guy. Toews has done very well himself, but Kane has played the whole year."

Of the 33 writers responding to the Daily Herald poll (approximately 90 vote), 21 named Kane first on their ballots. Ten writers put Kane second and two had him third.

Toews received 8 first-place votes but only 7 seconds and 10 thirds among the voters who responded.

Backstrom got 3 first-place votes, all of them from writers covering teams in the Eastern Conference.

Kane got 10 of his 21 first-place votes from writers in the Eastern Conference.

"I think Kane has made the biggest all-around offensive input," said one writer from the East.

"I'm giving it to Kane because he's not playing with (Alexander) Ovechkin," another writer said.

It is apparent that some writers believe Backstrom's points total was padded because he plays on the same line with Ovechkin, the league's leading goal scorer.

Backstrom led the rookie scoring race with 66 points to Kane's 65 going into the Capitals' game Thursday at Tampa Bay.

Savard pointed out that when the Hawks played Washington last week at the United Center, Kane was the better player that night with an assist in a 5-0 win.

"Just look at the last game against Washington," Savard said. "To me that was a separation for that whole vote. To me, hands down he (Kane) was better than Backstrom, but Backstrom is a good player, too."

Interestingly, many writers qualified their vote for Kane by saying they might have gone in a different direction for Toews had the Hawks center not missed 18 games with injuries.

Kane has appeared in all 77 games so far for the Hawks, a feat in itself considering many questioned since the day he was drafted first overall last June if the 5-foot-10, 163-pounder could stand up to the NHL grind.

Toews has 49 points in 59 games, 20 of them goals.

"Toews should probably win, but I give the nod to the other two since they've played more," said one writer.

"I think Toews is going to be a better long-term player, captain of the Hawks, but who had the best rookie year?" another writer said. "I'd say Kane, mostly because he stayed healthy."

One writer from the Western Conference compared this rookie race between Kane and Toews to the 1998 Calder vote when Boston's Sergei Samsonov beat out teammate Joe Thornton, who is now an all-star.

"I think Toews will be the best player over time," the writer said. "But remember when Joe Thornton and Sergei Samsonov broke in the same year? Samsonov was by far the better rookie, but who became the better player?"

Voters must have their ballots cast within three days of the end of the regular season on April 6, and it's possible some minds could change before then. The winner will be announced June 12 at the NHL awards ceremony in Toronto.

Toews and Kane have steered clear of much of the Calder Trophy talk, saying they were pulling for each other. Toews, who said he would choose Kane if he had a vote, is more focused on making the playoffs for now.

"Other than you guys talking about it and people talking about it, it's one of those things that will be nice if you get nominated and get to go to the awards show," Toews said. "Other than that, we're just playing and doing our jobs.

"It's like Joe Sakic trying to win the Stanley Cup. He's obviously not worried about winning the Conn Smythe Trophy throughout the playoffs (as MVP)," Toews added. "It's the same thing. You want to play hard and you want to play well and get your name out there and make a name for yourself and help your team, and at the end of it all if you're in the race for that whole thing, then so be it. But I don't think it's on our minds a whole lot right now."

In a perfect Hawks world, Kane and Toews would share the Calder, but never in the NHL history of the Calder Trophy or the Hart Trophy for MVP has there been a tie.

"Never been a tie, huh?" Savard said. "That's too bad."

Recent Calder winners

2007 Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh

2006 Alex Ovechkin, Washington

2005 Andrew Raycroft, Boston

2004 Barett Jackman, St. Louis

2003 Dany Heatley, Atlanta

Calder-winning Blackhawks

1991 Ed Belfour

1983 Steve Larmer

1970 Tony Esposito

1960 Bill Hay

1955 Ed Litzenberger

1938 Cully Dahlstrom

1936 Mike Karakas

Source: legendsofhockey.net