5 players who can challenge Matthews, Laine for Calder Trophy

For the immediate impact that they're expected to have, the reigning No. 1 and No. 2 overall NHL draft selections, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine, must be considered the betting favorites for the Calder Trophy.

But as Artemi Panarin and Shayne Gostisbehere proved while finishing one-two in the last rookie vote, it's not as simple as banking on the horse with the most hype.

Here are five players who could emerge as next season's top freshman:

Dylan Strome

The third overall selection in the Connor McDavid-Jack Eichel draft, Strome will take his first strides as a professional next year, and presumably make his long-awaited debut for the Arizona Coyotes.

Strome returned to Major Junior after netting 129 points in his draft season, winning the Ontario Hockey League scoring title with 111 points and a 1.98 point-per-game production rate.

The Coyotes have two returning top-six centers, but are in no way indebted to Antoine Vermette or Martin Hanzal. Strome, who might have the highest ceiling among their collection of quality prospects, figures to have a highly productive debut season working out of Arizona's top six.

Jimmy Vesey

When Vesey finally inks his first NHL contract, he'll have a host of factors in his favor as it pertains to making a mark as a rookie - many of which are the same variables that helped Panarin nab top rookie last season.

To wit, in successfully waiting out his former rights holder, David Poile and the Nashville Predators, the Harvard graduate will be five years older than the incoming rookie class. But his greatest advantage will be a luxury he's waited patiently to achieve: calling his own shot.

And potentially finding his Patrick Kane?

Zach Werenski

Werenski left Michigan at the end of his sophomore season to continue on his accelerated path to the NHL. And after making a seamless transition to the professional game, it appears his momentum will carry him to opening night with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The second defender chosen in last summer's draft pushed the Lake Erie Monsters over the top in their run to the Calder Cup title, providing five goals and 14 points in 17 postseason games.

Werenski's not expected to be an attacking force at the next level, at least not to a near point-per-game degree, but could immediately step into a top-four role on the Jackets' thin defense, and have a major impact next season.

Ivan Provorov

We'll see the next phase in Philadelphia's transition from an unimaginative, overpaid, and ineffective defense corps to leading light when it rolls out the decorated Ivan Provorov this season.

The displaced Russian has dominated at every level since coming to North America at 16 to entrench himself in the NHL brand - a decorated run that includes being named Canadian Major Junior's top defenseman this year.

He may not have a Gostisbehere-sized impact out the shoot, but will most certainly upgrade the unit as it continues to turn over.

Sebastian Aho

The understated fulcrum of Finland's mega-talented top line from the World Junior Championship, Aho may carry less hype, but could see his impact exceed that of Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi.

Carolina's second-round pick last summer outproduced the pair, scoring 20 goals and turning in a point-per-game average in his second season in Finland's top division.

Aho will be immediately thrust into a scoring function with the up-and-coming Canes, and should have a productive debut campaign that arrives relatively unannounced.