Kane, Toews among Calder choices

Apr 23, 2008 - 5:17 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Right wing Patrick Kane and center Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks were among the three finalists chosen on Wednesday for the Calder Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL's top rookie.

Also nominated was Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom. The winner will be announced during the NHL awards show in Toronto on June 12.

Kane and Toews helped revitalize Chicago's struggling franchise as the Blackhawks remained in playoff contention until the final days of the season.

The first player taken in last year's draft, Kane finished the season as the league's top rookie scorer with 72 points. Kane, who also finished as the Blackhawks leading scorer, tallied 16 points in October as an 18-year-old, the most in the opening month by a rookie since 1992-93.

Toews was nominated despite missing more than a month during the middle of the season with a knee injury.

He still paced all rookies in goals (24) and ranked third among first-year players in points with 54.

Toews began his career with a 10-game point streak, the longest for a rookie since Boston's Dmitri Kvartalnov notched a point in his first 14 contests in 1992.

Backstrom, who finished second in rookie scoring with 69 points, earned Rookie of the Month honors in December, when he registered five goals and 12 assists. His point total was the second-highest for a Washington rookie behind only Alex Ovechkin's 106 in 2006.