Calder Race Already Heating Up - Capitals Rookie Drawing Buzz From Peers

The whispers are starting before the puck even drops on the 2026-27 season, and they're all pointing toward one Washington prospect who's got NHL players already penciling him in for Rookie of the Year. When your peers - guys who've been grinding through their own rookie campaigns - are publicly backing you for the Calder, that's the kind of credibility that doesn't come from hype or draft positioning alone.