How Artemi Panarin won the 2015-16 Calder Trophy

We liked it when Artemi Panarin thanked “America” in his dozen or so word speech.

The Chicago Blackhawks rookie won the Calder Trophy, awarded “to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League” at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas on Wednesday night. It is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The stunner here is that Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid, the best rookie this season but one who was limited to only 45 games, actually finished third behind Panarin and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere of the Philadelphia Flyers. Some saw McDavid potentially leaping over Panarin for the Calder, despite Panarin winning the rookie goals and points race.

Here’s how the voting broke down:

So what do you think the reasoning was for those two voters who gave Panarin two fifth-place votes? The fact he was a pro in Russia or that they wanted to game the system to bring him down a notch and elevate their guy (COUGH McDavid COUGH) to the Calder?

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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