 Ekblad also set a new franchise record for rookie defensemen in goals, assists, and points, surpassing Ed Jovanovski.On April 23, Ekblad was named one of three finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy — awarded annually to the NHL's rookie of the year — along with the Ottawa Senators' Mark Stone and Calgary Flames' Johnny Gaudreau.On June 24, 2015, Ekblad was announced as the Calder winner.