We have officially passed the midpoint of the NHL season. And so its time for a look at who are the favourites for the various NHL awards so far. Here are my picks, along with an explanation for each.
Calder Trophy: Ryan Nugent Hopkins, C, Edmonton
38 games played, 13 goals 22 assists for 35 pts.
The 18 year old, exploded out of the gates this year, and showed the talent that made him the first overall selection in last June’s Entry Draft. Despite being injured about 3 weeks ago, RNH still leads all rookies in Point production. He’s shown that he’s an outstanding playmaker, and is well on his way to being one of the best passers in the game. He should be back from his shoulder injury shortly, and I fully expect him to pick up right where he left off. A major reason why the future looks bright in Edmonton, even if the present sucks. Honourable mentions: Matt Read, C/W, Philly and Adam Henrique, C, New Jersey.
Jack Adams Trophy: Ken Hitchcock, St. Louis Blues
The Blues struggled to start the season, and were the first club in the league to fire their coach, axing Davis Payne. Ken Hitchcock took over and the team has gone on a tear never looked back. He has the young blues team executing his defensive system to perfection. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at the stats that Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak have put up lately. The Blues are now leading the entire NHL with only 96 goals against this season. The Blues have 64 pts and are just one pt behind Detroit for 1st overall in not just the Western Conference, but the entire NHL. Honourable Mentions: Paul Maclean, Ottawa; Claude Julien, Boston.
Frank J. Selke Trophy: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
The Bruins have the best goal differential in the entire NHL at an absolutely incredible +70. The next closest team is Detroit at +45. This is in no small part due to the work put in by Bergeron this season. Bergeron has become one of the best two way centres in the game, he’s able to play against other team’s best lines, and still produce at the offensive end. He’s also an excellent Penalty Killer. Bergeron is a +28 this season and it speaks to his excellent two way game. Honourable Mentions: Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit; and Mikko Koivu, Minnesota.
James Norris Trophy: Erik Karlsson, D, Ottawa Senators
The Sens are the biggest surprise team in the NHL this year, and Erik Karlsson is the biggest reason why. With 46 points he’s not only the highest scoring Dman in the NHL, but is 12 points higher than his next highest competitor. He’s playing over 25:00 per game and is a +7 for the Sens. Karlsson is the straw that stirs the drink in Ottawa, he’s been enormous for them, and is deserving of all the praise he’s getting this season, including the starting spot in the All-Star game. Honourable Mentions: Zdeno Chara, Boston; and Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit.
Georges Vezina Trophy: Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers
The Rangers are in First place in the Eastern Conference and only 1 pt behind the Wings for first place in the league.. King Henrik’s amazing season is the major reason why. With a 1.93 Goals Against Average, and a 936 save percentage, he’s the key player on the team. Lundqvist has provided the Rangers with excellent goaltending since joining the team, and this year he’s surpassed even his previous standard and is having a career year. Lundqvist is the best goalie in the NHL this season, and deserves to win his first Vezina. Honourable mentions: Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings, Jimmy Howard, Detroit Redwings
Hart Memorial Trophy: Evgeni Malkin, Penguins
The Penguins have been absolutely decimated by injuries this year. They have only had Sidney Crosby in the lineup for 8 games. Top Defenceman Kris Letang also missed significant time with a concussion. Jordan Staal is out of the lineup long term as well. These are the Pens key players. Yet the team keeps fighting and is currently holding down a playoff spot. Why? Its in large part because in the abscence of Crosby; Malkin has become the best player in the NHL. He is leading the league in pts despite playing less games than any of the other top 20 NHL scorers. He has become a dominant force and is a threat to score or set up a goal on nearly every shift. Geno is nearly singlehandedly keeping this Pens team afloat, and thats why he’s the league MVP at the half way point. Honourable Mentions: Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers; Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers.
…and thats the last word.
