Keller In Mix for Calder Trophy

GLENDALE --This Sunday, the three finalists for the Calder Trophy, the award given annually to the NHL's best rookie, will be announced. Playing in all 82 games this season, Coyotes forward Clayton Keller built a strong case to be included in that exclusive club.
"I've always been pretty confident and I think you have to be. It's something that I've always kind of had in me ever since I was young," said Keller, 19, who led Arizona and ranked second among NHL freshmen with 65 points. Keller also ranked within the top five in rookie goals (23) and assists (42). Twice the NHL recognized him for his stellar play by naming him its Rookie of the Month (October and March).

Keller set Coyotes rookie season records for goals, assists, points, games, multi-point games (14), longest point streak (10 games), and most points in a calendar month (19 in March).

"It sounds kind of silly, but I did expect that of him, in terms of what he's capable of," said General Manager John Chayka, who called Keller's name when Arizona picked him seventh overall at the 2016 NHL Draft. "Clayton is a special player (with) a great mind-set where he wants to get better and he wants to learn … He was our leader offensively and got keyed on early. A lot of teams adapted to him after a big start and he adapted back down the stretch and found a way to continue to contribute. I can't say enough about what he did."
Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders, who led NHL rookies in points (85), is a lock to be among the Calder finalists, and likely will win the award. Who the other two finalists will be is not as clear-cut. The Professional Hockey Writers Association listed Barzal, Vancouver's Brock Boeser and Boston's Charlie McAvoy when it released its three midseason Calder Trophy nominees in January. Those three, plus Keller, Tampa Bay's Yanni Gourde and Winnipeg's Kyle Connor, are in the running now.
Keller, whom Coyotes media members voted the team's MVP for this season, is not too concerned about awards and trophies.

"This is a big summer for me, probably the biggest summer of my life," Keller said. "So I'm just going to get training here and go from there … It's a tough schedule. Last year I only played 35 games and I played 82 this year, so that's a lot of hockey. You really have to take care of your body. I actually like playing a lot of games, and I think next year my body will be even more comfortable with the games and the travel and everything like that. I think it's good kind of knowing what to expect coming into next year."

Team USA has yet to name its complete roster for the upcoming IIHF World Championship in Denmark. Keller, who helped the Americans notch a 6-0-0-2 record at that event last year, likely is on Team USA's radar again this year. Patrick Kane, whom Keller idolized while growing up, is Team USA's captain for that tournament.
Like his Coyotes teammates, Keller left Gila River Arena on "Exit Day" already counting the days until the 2018-19 season begins. He said the team's solid play over the final three months of this season made him realize that Arizona is an up-and-coming team.
"I think the biggest thing is we're all really comfortable with each other," Keller said. "When we play that way, we're a tough team to play against. There was just a feeling in the locker room over the last couple of weeks where going into every game we felt that we could win. I think that's a huge step for us, so I really do think that our group has a lot of things to look forward to next year."