One of the many consequences of the 2004-05 NHL lockout was that the class of players eligible for the 2006 Calder Trophy, given to the league's top rookie, was loaded. The missed season effectively meant that two seasons' worth of rookies were eligible at the same time. Alex Ovechkin won the award over Sidney Crosby, while Henrik Lundqvist, a Vezina Trophy finalist, finished only fourth.

Though the 2022 rookie crop is not nearly as legendary as that 2006 group, there is a similar situation brewing for the upcoming season. The 56-game regular season in 2020-21 meant that a number of players who would have in an 82-game season did not surpass the 25-game maximum to lose rookie status.

Thus, this Calder class is the deepest it has been in a long time. Top prospects such as the Vancouver Canucks' Vasily Podkolzin and Colorado Avalanche's Alex Newhook would, in any other season, be toward the top of the list of contenders. This season, they get dark-horse status.

Here are the five rookies who should be in the mix for the 2022 Calder Trophy.

Trevor Zegras

Had Trevor Zegras played two more games last season, he would be ineligible for this list. Instead, he will enter the season as the favorite to win the 2022 Calder Trophy.

The 20-year-old American dominated at the 2021 World Junior Championship and in the AHL and posted a respectable 13 points for the underwhelming Anaheim Ducks.

An elite playmaker, Zegras is in a great situation. He'll be a shoo-in for a center role on the first or second line as well as the top power-play unit. At the same time, he'll have veteran Ryan Getzlaf behind him to soak up some of the more difficult shifts and ease the burden.

If there is any doubt regarding Zegras' chances, it may come from concern about his linemates. Zegras can create his own offense to a large degree, but he'll still need players such as winger Troy Terry to do their parts by scoring enough goals on Zegras' feeds.

Cole Caufield

Cole Caufield already has 30 NHL games on his resume, but because 20 were during the Stanley Cup playoffs, he still qualifies as a rookie who is eligible to win the Calder Trophy.

Having already impressed after joining the Montreal Canadiens mid-playoff push, Caufield will be subject to major expectations. He has an elite shot release and should score plenty of goals on Nick Suzuki's or Christian Dvorak's wing, and with Shea Weber injured, he will step in as the triggerman on the power play.

But for him to win the Calder, he will need to continue to display the well-rounded game he has shown much sooner than anticipated. His eight playoff assists were a pleasant surprise from the shoot-first forward. Based on his offensive capabilities and track record, Caufield will enter the season as one of the favorites for the Calder.

Lucas Raymond

Typically, teenagers are at a major disadvantage when it comes to vying for the Calder Trophy. The most recent player to win the award as a teenager who wasn't drafted first overall was Jonathan Huberdeau in 2013.

Lucas Raymond, the No. 4 pick in 2020, will have a serious shot at it. Age doesn't tell the story, as the Swedish winger has always played beyond his years. He was a bona fide top-six forward for Frolunda, one of Europe's top pro teams, last season, registering 18 points in 34 games. On most other teams, Raymond would have gotten the minutes he otherwise deserved and the stat sheet would have better reflected his mature, rounded offensive game.

On a team weak at the wings and neck-deep in a rebuild, Raymond will have more opportunities to play top minutes than he ever got on stacked Frolunda. This should help him earn his share of points.

Yet Raymond's Calder hopes may be buoyed by his defensive play. It's been a long time since a teenage winger with his hockey IQ has come through the ranks, and as long as he gets some semblance of help from his Detroit Red Wings teammates, he should be a major driver of possession right away.

Spencer Knight

Strangely enough, 2021 Calder finalist Alex Nedeljkovic is eligible for the award yet again in 2021-22 after playing only 23 regular-season games in 2020-21. A repeat performance will be tough for him now that he's the unequivocal starting goaltender on a weak team.

Instead, Spencer Knight offers the best Calder odds of any rookie goaltender. The 2019 No. 13 pick has been considered a prodigy for years. As he's moved up the ladder, he has done nothing to dispel the notion of his elite upside. He was dominant in college and the World Junior Championship, then stepped into the NHL as a 19-year-old last season without missing a beat.

In fact, the Florida Panthers had so much confidence in Knight that they turned to him in two elimination games against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He posted a .933 save percentage.

Florida may begin the season believing that Sergei Bobrovsky is its starter, but Knight should wrest the job by season's end. If he continues on his trajectory, he should be heavily in the Calder mix.

Quinton Byfield

Ask scouts who is the best prospect in hockey, and the consensus will likely land on 2020 No. 2 pick Quinton Byfield. That's because of his potential to be a franchise center for the Los Angeles Kings.

When it comes to winning the Calder Trophy, though, Byfield faces an uphill battle. He only turned 19 in August and is raw compared to some of the older, more experienced players eligible for the award this season. He still needs to be included in the discussion on talent alone, however. He produced 20 points in 32 AHL games last season and made his NHL debut, recording an assist in six games.

Byfield is already an imposing 6'4", 215 pounds (and likely added muscle this offseason). Add high-end skating ability and tremendous playmaking instincts, and he will be a full-time NHLer this season—at the very least. He's not the favorite by any means, but his upside makes it impossible to count him out.