McDavid for MVP? Assessing the alternatives for high NHL awards

Connor McDavid has put collectively the primary 150-point season within the NHL for the reason that mid-Nineties, Erik Karlsson is the primary defenseman to hit 100 factors in additional than 30 years and the Boston Bruins made historical past by setting the single-season wins report.

Put all that collectively, and who will win the league’s main awards this yr appears fairly apparent.

McDavid might once more be the unanimous selection for the Hart Trophy as league MVP, Karlsson is a favourite to win the Norris Trophy for a 3rd time and the Bruins might sweep for high goaltender, defensive ahead and coach honors.

HART

Who will win: Connor McDavid, Edmonton.

Other contenders: Mikko Rantanen (Colorado), David Pastrnak (Boston), Jack Hughes (New Jersey).

PHOTOS: McDavid for MVP? Assessing the alternatives for high NHL awards

FanDuel Sportsbook odds: Off the board.

McDavid gained it unanimously in 2021, and the Oilers captain has solely strengthened his place as the most effective hockey participant on the planet by surpassing 60 targets. The final participant to report 150 factors in a season was Mario Lemieux and, earlier than that, Wayne Gretzky.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche have been ravaged by accidents and Rantanen is their most constant star to not miss time. Pastrnak, like McDavid, reached the 60-goal plateau, and Hughes has the Devils again within the playoffs for the primary time since 2018.

NORRIS

Who will win: Erik Karlsson, San Jose.

Other contenders: Adam Fox (N.Y. Rangers), Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg), Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo), Miro Heiskanen (Dallas).

FanDuel odds: Karlsson (-400), Fox (+1000), Morrissey (+1200).

No defenseman till Karlsson had reached 100 factors since Brian Leetch in 1991-92. Doing it on the age of 32 makes Karlsson the most certainly selection, though the Sharks have been out of competition a lot of the season.

Fox gained the Norris in 2021 and has since added penalty-killing obligations because the Rangers prep for the playoffs. Morrissey has almost doubled his profession excessive in factors, Dahlin has put in a robust yr at age 22 and Heiskanen has added extra offensive manufacturing to his all-around recreation.

VEZINA

Who will win: Linus Ullmark, Boston.

Other contenders: Juuse Saros (Nashville), Ilya Sorokin (N.Y. Islanders), Jake Oettinger (Dallas), Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg).

FanDuel odds: Ullmark (-4000), Saros and Sorokin (each +2000).

The solely knock towards Ullmark: He has began solely 47 video games in a tandem with Jeremy Swayman that can get Boston the William Jennings Trophy for fewest targets allowed. But Ullmark’s .938 save proportion is the very best by any goalie with 40-plus appearances in a season for the reason that Bruins’ Tim Thomas in 2010-11, and his 1.89 goals-against common is the most effective since Dwayne Roloson in 2003-04.

Sorokin and good pal Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers, the reigning Vezina winner, have pushed into the dialog with Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy for the most effective on the place within the NHL. Saros, Oettinger and Hellebuyck all had nice years, however Ullmark had the most effective of his profession for the NHL’s high group.

SELKE

Who will win: Patrice Bergeron, Boston.

Other contenders: Mitch Marner (Toronto), Jordan Staal (Carolina).

FanDuel odds: Off the board.

Bergeron has already gained the Selke 5 occasions and been a finalist every of the previous 11 seasons, and at age 37 he nonetheless units the usual for being an elite all-around ahead. The Bruins captain has gained 60.6% of faceoffs (third within the league), performs virtually two minutes a recreation on the penalty kill and persistently attracts the hardest matchups – profitable them a overwhelming majority of the time.

When Bergeron retires, there might be stiff competitors as to who’s the most effective defensive ahead within the league. Until then, there’s no debate.

CALDER

Who will win: Matty Beniers, Seattle.

Other contenders: Stuart Skinner (Edmonton), Mason McTavish (Anaheim), Owen Power (Buffalo), Matias Maccelli (Arizona), Wyatt Johnston (Dallas).

FanDuel odds: Beniers (-750), Skinner (+750), McTavish, Power and Maccelli (every +2000).

Beniers seems just like the runaway chief as the highest scorer in his class and after serving to the Kraken make the playoffs of their second season.

Skinner emerged because the Oilers’ beginning goaltender and helped them overcome defensive deficiencies. Maccelli has made a late push to be second amongst rookie scorers, however the Coyotes haven’t been wherever close to the playoff race, not like the Kraken or Johnston and the Stars.

JACK ADAMS

Who will win: Jim Montgomery, Boston.

Other contenders: Todd McLellan (Los Angeles), Dave Hakstol (Seattle), Rod Brind’Amour (Carolina).

FanDuel odds: Off the board.

Montgomery has coached the Bruins to probably the most wins in a season in NHL historical past, a triumphant return after being dismissed by the Stars in 2019. Nine-time Stanley Cup-winning Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman praised others however stated on efficiency alone the award ought to go to Montgomery.

“He’s positive, he’s got a lot of confidence,” Bowman stated. “He seems to have kept the confidence up with the team.”