Here's the thing about this season's rookie crop: It's bloody amazing.

Auston Matthews. Patrik Laine. Mitch Marner. William Nylander. Zach Werenski. Matthew Tkachuk. Sebastian Aho. Hell, Matt Murray - Stanley Cup winner Matt Murray! - is officially a rookie, too.

But it's Laine and Matthews who stand apart. And, after watching the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs play their second nine-goal overtime thriller of the season - with the top two picks in last year's draft combining for five points, and Laine becoming the first freshman to reach 30 goals - it's easy to understand why. Yeah, they're rookies, but it's clear Laine and Matthews are otherworldly talents, franchise talents, and it won't be long before they're in the conversation about the best and most talented players the NHL has to offer.

Laine or Matthews? Matthews or Laine?

Winnipeg and Toronto supporters have been screaming over each other since the preseason about who's better between Matthews and Laine. Since the draft, actually.

Laine's the better sniper, that much is clear - his release is unparalleled. Matthews appears to be the better playmaker, who dominates possession, who can create something out of nothing.

And it has to be mentioned: Laine's doing what he's doing playing with Mark Scheifele - arguably the most underrated superstar in hockey - and Nikolaj Ehlers. Matthews is doing what he's doing playing with Connor Brown and Zach Hyman.

For Jets and Maple Leafs supporters, it's impossible to be non-partisan. And that's fine - that's what sports fandom is all about.

Split it

The truth is, between Laine and Matthews, there's no wrong choice. Both are completely acceptable answers to numerous questions:

• Who deserves to win the Calder Trophy?
• Who would you build a franchise around?
• Who has the higher ceiling?
• Who is more exciting to watch?

It comes down to geography, for the most part, and personal preference. So, in the spirit of two incredible rookies, one-two picks living up to the hype and more, how about co-Calder Trophy winners?

Face it, everybody wins.

Well, everyone except Murray. But he'll be fine, he's already won the ultimate hardware, the only NHL trophy that truly, at the end of the day, matters. The one Laine and Matthews would trade the Calder for in a split second.

(Photos courtesy: USA Today Sports)

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