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Could Gostisbehere be the Flyers’ first Calder winner?

When you look at pure impact, Shayne Gostisbehere is right up there with the best rookies in the NHL so far this season.

The Philadelphia Inquirer brings up a fascinating question, even if it’s a far-flung concept: could he be the first player to win the Calder as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers?

The problem is in the name: he hasn’t been “here,” in the NHL, that long.

Just look at the top scorers among rookies. At a first glance, coming in at 12th overall seems to make his case laughable; Gostisbehere’s 19 points are a far cry from Artemi Panarin’s rookie-leading 45.

Still, it’s resounding what he’s accomplished for the Flyers, especially in a short time.

In 27 games, he has three game-winning goals, all in overtime. His 10 power-play points ties him with Max Domi for third place among rookies.

It’s not on voters to penalize other rookies for playing in far more games, but Gostisbehere’s per-game impact really stands out. There are only two first-year players who’ve played in 10+ games who have more each night than Ghost’s .70 per game: Connor McDavid (.92) and Panarin (.88).

Like any good difference-maker, he’s generating a rave review quote from an opposing player, via the Inquirer:

“His shot ... he’s got a bomb,” Kris Letang said. “For a young guy to come into the league and manage a power play with that much talent on it, it’s impressive.”

No doubt about it, “Ghost” is a long shot to win the Calder ... or even be a finalist. Perhaps he should get a little more consideration, however, and that’s especially true if he keeps up this pace through the rest of the season.