Should Shayne Gostisbehere be Considered in Calder Talk?

Shayne Gostisbehere gets a kick out of the text messages.

His friends send them all the time cheering him on for all his success in the NHL in his rookie season, pumping him up and wondering if maybe, just maybe, he can be the first Flyers player to win a Calder Trophy as the league’s best rookie.

Those texts lead to general manager Ron Hextall’s fear as it relates to young players getting to the NHL. Hextall has a few other young defensemen like Gostisbehere on their way up to the big club and he’d rather be patient with them.

Gostisbehere skipped a couple steps, with only five games in the American Hockey League last season and 14 this season between his careers in the NCAA and NHL.

What if one of those other young defenseman sees Gostisbehere’s path and thinks it’s easy? What if it causes them to develop an ego?

“I’ve got a good support system with my family and friends who will never let me get a big head,” Gostisbehere said, “and I’ve definitely got a stubborn mom who definitely won’t let me get a big head.”

So far the 22-year-old defenseman has given Hextall nothing to worry about in that regard. He leads rookie blueliners in points with 22. St. Louis’ Colton Parayko is only three points behind him, but he’s also played 20 more games than Gostisbehere.