The NHL Awards are always exciting to follow, and while it’s still early in the season, there are some clear front runners emerging for the prestigious Hart, Norris, Calder, and other trophies.
Starting with the Hart Trophy for MVP, Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild is currently leading the pack with an impressive start to the season. He has captured the hearts of many voters with his dynamic play and ability to carry his team to success. However, players like Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche are not far behind, making the race for the Hart a close one.
Moving on to the Norris Trophy for the top defenseman, Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche is standing out with his impressive offensive production. Despite being a minus in the plus/minus category, Makar’s offensive contributions have not gone unnoticed. Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks and Josh Morrissey of the Winnipeg Jets are also making a case for themselves in the race for the Norris.
In the Calder Trophy race for the top rookie, Logan Stankoven of the Dallas Stars is currently leading the pack with his consistent performance. However, players like Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens and Matvei Michkov of the Philadelphia Flyers are not far behind, making the rookie of the year race an exciting one to watch.
When it comes to the Vezina Trophy for the top goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets is currently the frontrunner with his stellar performance in net. He is closely followed by Lukas Dostal of the Anaheim Ducks and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers, making the race for the Vezina a tight competition.
In the Selke Trophy race for the best defensive forward, Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers is leading the way with his dominant defensive play. Nico Hischier of the New Jersey Devils and Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes are also in the running, making the race for the Selke an intriguing one.
Finally, in the Jack Adams Award race for the best coach, Scott Arniel of the Winnipeg Jets is currently in the lead after his team’s historic start to the season. Rod Brind’Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes and Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals are also contenders for the award, making the race for the Jack Adams an exciting one to follow.
As the NHL season progresses, these races will continue to evolve, and it will be interesting to see which players and coaches ultimately come out on top when the awards are handed out at the end of the season.