NHL Award Predictions

The NHL Award Show isn't for another several weeks, but the finalists for the major awards have been released, so I've decided that now is a good time to give my loyal readers my predictions.

Hart Trophy (MVP): Evgeni Malking (Pittsburgh)- The league-leader in points (109) is hands down the favorite to win this award.  For much of the season it was a three-man race for the scoring title, but Malkin was able to pull away down the stretch and was the only player to eclipse the 100+ point mark.  But that isn't what did it for me.  The fact that he was able to put the Penguins on his back while Crosby and other stars were out and lead them to the No. 4 seed in the playoffs and the second-most points in the Eastern Conference showed a lot of his critics that he can play in both ends of the ice.

Vezina Trophy (Best Goalie): Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers)- The three finalists (Lundqvist, Jonathan Quick, and Pekka Rinne) all had tremendous years and each one is in the top-5 of all of the major goaltending statistical categories and are all deserving.  But, I think what puts Lundqvist over the top is the fact that he led the Rangers to the top-spot in the Eastern Conference and the second-best record in the NHL.  Quick led the league in shutouts and had the second-best GAA, while doing it for the Kings who ranked 29th in goals scored.  If not for him, the Kings probably would have missed out on the playoffs and would be on the golf links rather than in the second round.  As for Rinne, the former 8th round pick is what we like to call a workhorse, playing in 73 of the 82 games this season for the Nashville Predators and led the league in wins (43) and saves (1987).  All three are very deserving.

Norris Trophy (Top Defensemen): Shea Weber (Nashville)- Everyone thinks the young-gun Erik Karlsson is going to win it based on the fact that he led all d-men in points.  However, his defensive zone play needs improvement and therefore, I think he's out.  Chara and Weber are clearly the elite of the defensemen in the NHL and I think it's Weber's ability to play over 26 minutes (26:09) per game and be a force in both the defensive and offensive zones is what gets him his first Norris Trophy.

Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward): Patrice Bergeron (Boston)- Over the past handful of years this award could easily be named after Datsyuk, who has won it three of the past four seasons.  However, Bergeron's numbers don't lie.  He doesn't light up the stat sheet, but his +35 rating led the league and he won 936 faceoffs, also most in the league.  If this year wasn't enough for Bergeron to finally break through as the winner, then I don't think he'll ever win it.

Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Matt Read  Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado)- You mean to tell me that Read's rookie-leading 24 goals doesn't even get him nominated?  Huh.  Well in that case, I have to give the award to Gabriel Landeskog.  The second overall pick in last year's draft tied for the rookie lead in points (52) with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (1st overall), but RNH only played in 62 of Edmonton's 82 games.  However, Landeskog was a +20 to RNH's -2 and Landeskog had the Avalanche fighting for a playoff spot coming down the final two weeks of the season, something that hasn't happened in the past few years.  Landeskog will clearly be the cornerstone of the Avalanche franchise for year's to come.

Jack Adams Trophy (Best Coach): John Tortorella (NY Rangers)- The finalists have yet to be announced for this award, so this is just off of my assumptions.  But, the guy that everyone came to love (due to his passion for the game) during HBO's 24/7 led the Rangers to the top-seed in the Eastern Conference and the second-best record in the NHL.  He's always been a fiery coach and he managed to take a team that has always seemed to underachieve and play a full season and never looked back.  Coming into the season, he was one of the many coaches on the hot-seat and got his team to perform at a top level and even had some of his passion rub off on his players.

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