Silver Nuggets: Which is More Likely series: Yakupov vs. Murray

In our last installment of SN: WIML, we looked at the trade likelihood--and, by extension, internal value--of a couple of budding Ottawa Senators prospects, Cody Ceci and Mark Stone. More than three quarters of voters thought that Stone was more likely to be traded than Ceci, which means we're either stunningly low on NHL-point-per-game-player Stone or ridiculously high on an eighteen-year-old who was just drafted.

Either way, the top comment goes to charliec_124, who pointed to Ottawa's prospect depth up front and the fact that Ceci's a good ol' Ottawa boy.

I hate both options, but...

Gotta be Stone. We have plenty of young forward prospects, and too few spots for all of them.Our franchise defensive depth for quality puck moving prospects currently consists of Ceci and… Wiercoch? No way Ceci is going anyway. Plus, he’s from Ottawa.

Well said, Charlie. You also deserve credit for your terrific Arrested Development-related signature, as well as the fact that I know you. (Disclaimer: I didn't realize I knew Charlie until after I'd selected his comment as the winner.)

For today's tough choice, we're looking at two of the top picks from last year's entry draft, and which of them is more likely to take home the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 2012-13--assuming, of course, that there's an NHL season to be had. Although we all think Jakob Silfverberg will win it, there are two good candidates in the event he doesn't: Nail Yakupov and Ryan Murray.

Yakupov: It's highly likely that Yakupov will make the Oilers out of camp, and he's an offensively dynamic player on a team stacked with 'em. But how much premier ice time will he see if he's competing with Ales Hemsky and Jordan Eberle on the right side of Edmonton's depth chart? And how good will the Oilers be, considering huge question marks about their defence, goaltending, and experience?

Murray: Defencemen, traditionally, have a hard time making their mark at a young age, especially in their first season in the league. But Murray's slated to be part of a pretty decent looking Blue Jackets blue line (yeah, I said it), and could have good opportunities alongside any of James Wisniewski, Jack Johnson, or Fedor Tyutin--assuming, of course, he's able to make the team out of camp. Also of note: In the last ten years, the Calder Trophy has gone to defencemen more often than it's gone to right wingers.

Links after the jump...

Senators links

• Peter Regin's been cleared for contact, but where will he fit in this season? (The 6th Sens)
• Daniel Alfredsson might play beyond this season. (Citizen)
• Forward usage charts for the whole league, including the Senators. (NHL Numbers)
• The latest part in a cool series about the movement to bring back the Sens. (SenShot)
• Sens tickets go on sale next week. No guarantees the games will be played, though. (Sens)
• Alex Kovalev is working on a return to the NHL. He reportedly has offers of training camp tryouts. Imagine he ends up settling for a two-way deal? (London Free Press)

NHL links

• The most significant reason I think there will not be an extended work stoppage this year: The NHL has good mojo in the USA right now. They can't afford to risk what's been gained from a Los Angeles Kings Stanley Cup Championship, a national TV deal, the Winter Classic's awesomeness, and the HBO series. Plus other stuff. (United States of Hockey)
• Interesting fact about the lockout: With the expiration of the NHL-NHLPA CBA also went the NHL-CHL transfer agreement, which means that players from the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL may be allowed to play in the AHL next season. (Puck Daddy)
• If there is a lockout, NHLers might have a hard time going to Europe to ply their trade. (Sun)

Finally, via Puck Daddy, check out every point Erik Karlsson scored last year in a wonderful compilation video!

Who's more likely to win the 2013 Calder Trophy?