The NHL has begun its awards week today by announcing the candidates for the Calder Memorial Trophy, given to the league’s most impressive rookie (defined as having played less than 25 games in any preceding season.) At the start of the season, both Marcus Foligno and Mikhail Grigorenko had a chance to make some waves in the Calder race, but after a strong start, Foligno faded and Grigorenko was sent back to Quebec.
But as I saw the names today, I wondered just how close Foligno was to being a part of the Calder conversation, and decided to look up some stats. Here’s how he stacks up to the candidates
| Name | Goals | Assists | Points | +/- | Time on Ice |
| Jonathan Huberdeau | 14 | 17 | 31 | -15 | 16:55 |
| Brendan Gallagher | 15 | 13 | 28 | +10 | 13:51 |
| Brandon Saad | 10 | 17 | 27 | +17 | 16:27 |
| Marcus Foligno | 5 | 13 | 18 | -4 | 13:37 |
In the end, Foligno wasn’t really that close to the nominees, despite his hot start. However, he finished 13th in rookie scoring despite getting less ice time than all but three players ahead of him, and he is expected to contribute to the Sabres in other ways besides just goals and assists.
It was definitely a downer of a year for the young Sabres legacy, especially considering the high (and in most cases, far too high) expectations placed on his shoulders at the beginning of the season. Whether Foligno can contribute more on the offensive end next season and how consistent his effort can be for the Sabres will likely be questions that have a large impact on next season.