If 2018’s iteration of my top 50 drafted NHL prospects was any indication (it remains my most commented upon article at The Athletic to date), reactions to this will be met with reverence by many fan bases and ‘how dare you!’ outrage from others.



Before we dive in, that means the criteria need to be clearly outlined. Eligibility is as follows:



The player must be drafted. In rare circumstances, a player who went undrafted but has signed an entry-level contract and merits inclusion in the top 50, may be eligible.



The player must be under 23 years old (the same criteria I use as a cut-off for my team-specific prospect rankings). We know that a player is nearing the end of his development around 23. I have long believed that Calder eligibility should also be limited to a similar age cutoff.



The player must not have played in the majority of his club’s NHL games last season. If he did, particularly if those games were during...