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LAS VEGAS – Edmonton Oilers centre Ryan-Nugent Hopkins can handle the suspense as he sits in the Encore Theater at the Wynn Resort Hotel on Wednesday, unsure whether he’ll hear his name called for the Calder Trophy.

That wasn’t the case the last time an Oilers rookie was up for the award 18 years ago. Jason Arnott knew he’d lost to Martin Brodeur even before the awards show in one of the most embarrassing moments in NHL history when the Quatre Saisons TV network somehow got the results for not just the Calder, but also the Hart (MVP) Norris (defenceman), Selke (top defensive forward) and Lady Byng (most gentlemanly player) awards.

“It was like somebody throws you a surprise birthday party when you turn 50 and somebody tells you ahead of time. A heart-breaker, not the way I wanted to find out,” said Arnott, who had 33 goals and 68 points in 1993-94 after making the Oilers as an 18-year-old, same as Nugent-Hopkins.

“Realistically, I didn’t think I’d win anyway, but you always hope, like everybody does.”

Nugent-Hopkins could become the first Oiler to win the rookie of the year award. Wayne Gretzky scored 137 points in his first NHL season in 1979-80 but was ruled ineligible because he had played the previous season with Edmonton in the World Hockey Association.

“That was probably the only award Gretzky didn’t win,” said Nugent-Hopkins, who was unaware that the NHL allowed 31-year-old winger Sergei Makarov to win in 1990, even though he had played for mighty Red Army in Moscow, a certifiable pro team but not in North America.

“Obviously, Gretzky wasn’t allowed to win it ... if he had, he’d have won it for sure,” said Nugent-Hopkins.

Mark Messier, Paul Coffey and Grant Fuhr are all in the Hall of Fame, but they didn’t win the Calder either. In the case of Messier and Coffey, it was because they had slow starts to their NHL careers while Fuhr posted a 28-5-14 record in 48 games during his rookie season but lost to Dale Hawerchuk, who had 103 points.

Some great players have won the Calder — Glenn Hall, Terry Sawchuk, Bernie Geoffrion, Mario Lemieux, Ray Bourque, Denis Potvin, Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy and Joe Nieuwendyk — but others like Guy Lafleur, Phil Esposito, Ron Francis and Joe Sakic didn’t. The first three are in the Hockey Hall of Fame and Sakic will likely get in next week when the vote is held.

What are the odds that Nugent-Hopkins wins? He’s got a very good shot, but it’s a long way from a slam-dunk.

Looking at straight points, Nugent-Hopkins, 19, should get the Calder after scoring 52 points in 62 games, his season shortened by two separate shoulder injuries. Colorado Avalanche winger Gabriel Landeskog, 20, who was picked second in the entry draft right after Nugent-Hopkins, had 52 points, too, but in 82 games. New Jersey Devils centre Adam Henrique, 22, who was Oilers winger Taylor Hall’s teammate on a Memorial Cup winner with the Windsor Spitfires, had 51 points in 74 games.

Nugent-Hopkins burst from the gate but slowed after his shoulder problems. He probably would have had 65 points if he hadn’t been hurt.

“When I came back, there weren’t things I couldn’t do, but I didn’t want to put myself in a bad position to reinjure it and tried to avoid (some contact). It feels good now,” said Nugent-Hopkin, who has put on some muscle. “I’m up to 180 pounds, I’ve gained five pounds. I’d like to get to 185.”

While Nugent-Hopkins turned around a moribund Oilers power play, which finished third best in the NHL, running it from the half-wall, Landeskog played a power forward game. Henrique was New Jersey’s top centre for a long while.

As far as other stats, Landeskog was plus-20, Henrique was plus-seven, Nugent-Hopkins was minus-two but on a much weaker team. In terms of even-strength points, Landeskog had 38, Henrique 36 and Nugent-Hopkins 29.

Landeskog played on the Avalanche’s top line with Ryan O’Reilly, averaging 18-1/2 minutes a night. He might be the Avs captain in a few years, and wore an “A” on his jersey for Sweden at the recent world hockey championship in Stockholm. He’s strong, durable and loves to shoot. By season’s end, he was seeing the other team’s best defencemen every night.

“I just tried to gain the trust of the coaches,” he said.

But Landeskog is a Nugent-Hopkins’ fan, too.

“He’s so skilled, so smart, you don’t know what he’s going to do with the puck. He’s very tough to play against,” said the Swedish forward.

Jordan Eberle, who only had five minor penalties, is the other Oiler in the running for an award. He’s going up against Florida Panthers defenceman Brian Campbell and New York Islanders winger Matt Moulson for the Lady Byng Trophy as most gentlemanly player.

“If I win it, the refs will be the first people I thank. One of my penalties came in the last game of the year,” said Eberle. “I’ve always been a player who’s on the right side of the puck. If you look at guys who’ve won it, like Pavel Datsyuk, it’s often the best defensive forward.

“I’ve taken my share of cheap shots, but I’ve never been one to lose my temper (and retaliate). I wish I had a meaner edge to my game, but I try to get guys back by scoring or on the power play,” Eberle said.

If Campbell, who had more shifts than any other NHLer this season and only three minors, wins the Lady Byng, he would be the first defenceman to do it since Red Kelly won his last of three with the Detroit Red Wings in 1954.

Campbell understandably can remember all three of his penalties. Out of position twice, unlucky the other time.

“One was for shooting the puck over the glass. I was pretty mad at that one,” he said. “But I also think the refs gave me a few breaks, knowing what kind of player I am. There’s some players, the refs have to watch out for, and others they don’t.”

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/t ... story.html