Nathan MacKinnon from striding with the Colorado Avalanche could face stiff competition for the NHL MVP honor from star players like Nikita Kucherov from the Tampa Bay Lightning, Connor McDavid from the Edmonton Oilers, and Auston Matthews from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
MacKinnon has led the Avalanche, a team with significant talent at the top, to the playoffs. Kucherov has contributed to half of the Lightning’s goal-scoring efforts. McDavid spearheaded the Oilers’ recovery after a difficult beginning to the season, and Matthews is nearing a historic milestone as he aims to be the first player in over three decades to reach 70 goals in a single season.
McDavid has achieved a milestone by becoming only the fourth player to achieve 100 assists in a single season, while Kucherov is just one assist away with one game remaining. According to Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman, these exceptional numbers have not been seen in quite a while. The competition for the achievement will be tight, but it’s clear who Hedman supports.
Here are the predictions by AP’s hockey writers for the winners of the regular-season awards in June (all statistics as of Tuesday):
Opinion: MacKinnon is overdue for this accolade. Despite finishing in the top six five times, he has now exceeded his personal bests in goals, assists, and points while playing for one of the NHL’s top teams.
Wawrow believes Matthews deserves consideration. Only 14 times in history has a player scored 70 goals in a season, with the last instances being Mogilny and Selanne in 1992-93. Given that Matthews is approaching that remarkable figure and contributes to 23.4% of his team’s total goals, his performance is too impressive to ignore.
Whyno makes a case for Kucherov. While MacKinnon winning the award would be a significant achievement for him, Kucherov’s astounding 53-point lead over his closest teammate is hard to ignore.
NORRIS (top defenseman)
Lage: Quinn Hughes. Vancouver’s remarkable resurgence can be attributed in part to the 24-year-old defenseman’s contributions. Hughes has been a reliable presence in the lineup for the Canucks, significantly surpassing his previous career-best goal total and playing a key role in the team’s success.
Wawrow: Hughes. While Roman Josi’s impact on the Predators is undeniable in their playoff push, Hughes played an essential role in the Canucks’ transformation from missing the playoffs by 12 points last season to clinching the Pacific Division title.
Whyno: Roman Josi. Josi’s exceptional performance as a point-per-game player during the Predators’ impressive 16-0-2 run highlighted his importance to the team. As the defenseman with the highest goal tally at 23, Josi has displayed remarkable leadership as Nashville’s captain.
CALDER (outstanding rookie)
Lage: Connor Bedard. The top pick in the draft has not disappointed, showcasing his talent by maintaining a nearly point-per-game average despite facing tough opposition while playing for the struggling Chicago team, which ranks among the bottom teams in the league.
Wawrow: Bedard. The doubts surrounding the 18-year-old, 5-foot-10, 185-pound forward were dispelled in a season where he topped all rookies in points, even after a six-week absence due to a broken jaw.
Whyno: Brock Faber stands out. While Bedard has yet to experience a significant game impact due to Chicago’s lack of competitiveness, Faber played crucial minutes averaging 25 per game for Minnesota as they fought for a playoff spot. His 46 points and ice time rank him sixth among all players.
SELKE (outstanding defensive forward)
Lage: Aleksander Barkov. The 2021 recipient has consistently been a top-eight finisher in the voting six times. Known for his two-way prowess, Barkov excelled in plus-minus stats and maintained a point-per-game average for the Florida Panthers, appearing in 73 out of 82 games.
Wawrow: Jordan Staal. Despite facing multiple goaltender injuries, Carolina managed to secure a spot among the NHL’s top five teams in goals against largely due to Staal’s defensive-oriented style of play.
Whyno: Staal. The captain of the Hurricanes has never claimed the Selke award, making this year an opportune moment as he plays a pivotal role in leading Carolina’s shutdown line and excels in winning 58.1% of his faceoff battles
VEZINA (top goaltender)
Lage: Connor Hellebuyck. The goaltender, who won the award in 2020, has delivered a stellar performance this season. Hellebuyck maintained a goals-against average of under 2.50 per game, leading Winnipeg to a 100-point season, a feat not achieved since 2018 when the Jets made their first and only conference final appearance in franchise history.
Wawrow: Hellebuyck. Given his impressive stats, including 36 starts with two or fewer goals conceded, Hellebuyck is chosen over Sergei Bobrovsky from Florida. Bobrovsky achieved this in 32 starts, on a Panthers team known for its defensive strength.
Whyno: Hellebuyck. Leading in save percentage among goalies with 50 or more starts and boasting the second-best goals-against average after Bobrovsky, Hellebuyck’s exceptional performance merits him the Vezina Trophy without question.
JACK ADAMS (top coach)
Lage: Rick Tocchet. After replacing Bruce Boudreau midway through the previous season, Tocchet seized the opportunity in Vancouver and excelled. Initially perceived as a mediocre team, the Canucks unexpectedly amassed their highest point total in over ten years under his guidance.
Wawrow: Tocchet. Renowned for his ability to elevate the competitiveness of the Arizona Coyotes during his four-year tenure there, the 60-year-old coach has continued to excel in the Pacific Northwest, extracting the best performances from a talented team that had underperformed the season before.
Whyno: Spencer Carbery. Despite Washington’s significant minus-37 goal differential, the worst among playoff teams since 1991 when there were only 21 teams in the league, Carbery defied expectations by guiding the team to the playoffs. His strategic decisions throughout the season proved crucial in their unexpected postseason success.
LADY BYNG (sportsmanship)
Lage: Patrick Kane, a 35-year-old winger, rejuvenated his career after hip surgery while playing for Detroit. A three-time Cup champion and the 2016 MVP, he displayed kindness in his interactions, although goalies may not appreciate his quick hands and slick shot.
Wawrow: Jaccob Slavin, a defenseman for the Hurricanes, maintains single-digit penalty minutes despite averaging almost 21 minutes of ice time per game in a physically demanding division
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