Heading into this season, many pundits were picking Clayton Keller of the Arizona Coyotes as their Calder Trophy winner as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year. Some have even given him the nickname, “Clayton Calder.” Based on his hot start, he may prove them all to be correct as he leads all freshmen with nine goals thus far.

Clayton Keller has been one of the hottest rookies in the NHL this season.

Naturally, there is already plenty of buzz around Keller’s rookie cards as he was one of the biggest names of an unprecedented carryover rookie class, but there are plenty of other reasons why you should consider starting a Keller collection:

• How hot has Keller been thus far in 2017-18? He opened the year with his first career goal that came on John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks who certainly is no slouch in goal.

• On October 12, Keller enjoyed his first multi-point game as he scored a pair during a 4-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. A week later, he had another big night as he scored twice and added an assist – but it was not enough to help the Coyotes win their first contest of the season.
• When asked about his chances of winning the Calder Trophy, Keller noted that it is indeed something that is on his mind this season. “Yeah, it’s definitely a goal that I’ve set this summer. Before every year, I set a few goals, and that’s definitely one of them, but trying to make an impact right away is the most important thing and I think if I live my dream, that will take care of itself.”
• Keller was rated first overall among all NHL prospect in the Future Watch issue of The Hockey News that was found on newsstands earlier this year. He was placed ahead of some solid names like Jesse Puljujarvi of the Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators defensive star in the making Thomas Chabot.

• Born in Chesterfield, Missouri, Keller grew up watching the St. Louis Blues and played for the local junior Blues club at the prestigious International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in Quebec back in 2011.
• Like established NHL stars Sidney Crosby and Zach Parise, Keller is a product of the Shattuck St. Mary’s School and spent two seasons there before joining the United States National Team Development Program in 2014-15. In fact, he is the USNTDP’s all-time scoring leader with 189 points!
• The Arizona Coyotes chose Keller with the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft and instead of turning pro right away, he made his debut with Boston University a few months later. In 31 collegiate games, he racked up an eye-popping 45 points and was named the NCAA’s Hockey East and New England Rookie of the Year in addition to earning All-Star and All-Rookie honors.
• International experience? Keller has plenty of it thus far and he was a part of his nation’s run to a gold medal at both the 2015 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship and the 2017 IIHF U-20 World Junior Championship. At the 2016 U-18 event, he was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Check this out!

• Keller’s NHL debut was certainly a memorable one as he played against his hometown St. Louis Blues on March 27. As he took to the ice, his teammates decided to let him take a solo lap and soak up the adulation from local fans that got to see him grow and evolve into a pro star.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NvlAHpV6Lc

• While he was held scoreless in his debut, he earned his first career assist while facing the same club two nights later. The helper came on a third period tally by Alex Goligoski. During a short three-game stint last year, he also earned a second assist against the Dallas Stars.
• After the regular season ended, he was called upon to play for his country once again and was able to shine at the 2017 IIHF World Championship, earning seven points over eight games.
• One NHL star that Keller has been compared to is Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks. Coincidentally, Kane was a player that Keller looked for when breaking packs of hockey cards as a youth. “Yeah, a little bit. Like everyone, the Crosbys, the Kanes, Ovechkin. I’m pretty sure that’s what I wanted back then, too.”

• While Keller’s career is just beginning, he is more than happy to hang on to an important piece of memorabilia. “World Junior jersey, little things like that. Sticks. I’m content to keep that kind of stuff. It means something to me.”
• With the Coyotes having a strong core group of young prospects ready to make an impact, Keller fits in perfectly with a group that includes such names as Dylan Strome, Lawson Crouse, and Max Domi. He expressed his excitement about the team’s future: “I’ve been with them for much of the summer and we’re a great group. I think we’re young, but we’re also fast and skilled. I think we’re really moving in the right direction.”
• At the 2017 NHLPA Rookie Showcase, Keller was able to pose for some of his upcoming cards, but he also enjoyed the chance to spend time with friends and future opponents alike. “It’s cool being here with all these guys. They’re great players. I’ve played with or against almost everyone here, so it’s cool to come back together and build a little bit of a relationship.”

Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Bracco had some fun with Keller at the 2017 NHLPA Rookie Showcase asking him questions during the media scrum.

• How hot is Clayton Keller? He was named the NHL Rookie of the Month for October and shows no signs of slowing down.

Collectors can already get their hands on a few of Keller’s rookie cards – which could become an even hotter commodity as the season wears on. His first on the market came in 2017-18 Upper Deck MVP and was quickly followed by those found inside packs or O-Pee-Chee and Artifacts.

Rare green versions of Keller’s MVP rookie card are available on the Upper Deck e-Pack platform.

2017-18 NHL O-Pee-Chee has a variety of unique content for Keller.

Unique memorabilia and autograph cards are available in 2017-18 NHL Upper Deck Artifacts.

Collectors can score Keller’s Victory Black rookie card at the 2017 Fall Expo in Toronto.

While Keller will not have a traditional Young Guns rookie card once 2017-18 Upper Deck Series One is released in early November, he will be part of the UD Canvas Young Guns collection found in packs.

The wait for his regular Young Guns card will not be long, though. It will be coming in 2017-18 Upper Deck Series Two, but there are some solid options coming in the meantime from winter releases such as Black Diamond and Trilogy that are sure to generate some excitement.

Clayton Keller will be signing for a variety of Upper Deck products this season.

Stephen Laroche has been actively involved in the hockey collectibles industry in a variety of roles for nearly 20 years. In the past, he has been a writer and editor with Beckett Media and SLAM! Collectibles in addition to working as a trading card company executive and consultant. He is available for freelance work and can be contacted at [email protected]