NHL Awards: Who Should/Will Win Each Trophy
By Ryan Ritchie
NHL Awards: Who Should and Who Will Win Each Major Trophy on Wednesday Night
Annual NHL Awards Show takes place tonight (Wednesday, June 22nd) in Las Vegas. Speculation suggests that Commissioner Gary Bettman is set to announce expansion during his press conference at 4:00PM (EST) ahead of the annual event, or perhaps later tonight.
Lost in the excitement is the reason for gathering in Las Vegas, which is the NHL Awards Show hosted by celebrity Will Arnett at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
The Hollywood Movie Star expressed why he chose to accept to host in 2016, saying “I’m excited to host the 2016 NHL Awards because we all know in 2017 I’ll be too busy celebrating the Leafs winning the Stanley Cup,”.
All jokes aside, let’s break down tonight’s finalists for each major award. Instead of simply predicting a winner, we’re going to explore who should win, and who will likely take home the hardware at the end of the night.
Vezina Trophy (Top Goaltender)
Braden Holtby (WSH), Ben Bishop (TB), Jonathan Quick (LA)
Who Should Win: Braden Holtby (WSH)
Too much attention is paid to a rough span in early 2016 and towards the final stretch of the regular season. Holtby’s performance this year was nearly as impressive as Carey Price‘s Vezina/Hart Trophy season in 2014-15.
Who Will Win: Braden Holtby (WSH)
Arguably the Caps MVP, there’s a reason Washington won the Presidents’ Trophy. He was on pace to surpass 50 wins, but finished with a record of 48-9-7 instead.
Frank J. Selke (Best Defensive/Two-Way Forward)
Patrice Bergeron (BOS), Ryan Kesler (ANA), Anze Kopitar (LA)
Who Should Win: Anze Kopitar (LA)
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Plus/Minus rating of plus-34 (+34) with 25 goals and 74 points. It marks the 7th time Kopitar has reached 25 or more goals in a single season.
For a guy who gives up a little bit of his offensive ceiling to help the team defensively, his stats in 2015-16 were impressive.
With the Datsyuk departure, you could argue Kopitar is the best two-way forward left remaining in the NHL.
Who Will Win: Patrice Bergeron (BOS)
One of the game’s best defensive forwards, Bergeron is also heavily depended upon in the face-off circle. Not as dominant offensively as Kopitar, but you won’t find a better center for positional play in their own zone.
Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman)
Brent Burns (SJ), Drew Doughty (LA), Erik Karlsson (OTT)
Who Should Win: Drew Doughty (LA)
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“Always a bridesmaid, never a bride”, isn’t that the saying? The unfortunate theme could continue on Wednesday if Doughty loses out to Erik Karlsson as expected.
When did best defenseman mean most points? Feels more like the defensive Art Ross than a Norris Trophy. Drew Doughty might not win tonight, but if you had to start a franchise with one defender, he might be the logical choice.
Who Will Win: Erik Karlsson (OTT)
It would mark the first time that a d-man won the award without competing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It’s not to say he doesn’t deserve credit for his incredible 82-point season, but it’s all for not if you’re golfing in mid-April. If Karlsson wins, it would mark the third time in his seven-year career (2011-12 and 2014-15).
Calder Trophy (Top Rookie)
Shayne Gostisbehere (PHI), Connor McDavid (EDM), Artemi Panarin (CHI)
Who Should Win: Artemi Panarin (CHI)
Of the three names listed above, only one of those players played the longevity of an entire season. Only one of them had an opportunity to hit that rookie wall dealing with a lengthy 82-game season for the first time – Artemi Panarin.
His production only dipped for a short stretch during the regular season, but was otherwise a model of consistency on the NHL’s best line in 2015-16.
Who Will Win: Connor McDavid (EDM)
He scored above a point-per-game pace over his 45 games (48 points) and was favored to take home the hardware from day one. It’s difficult to argue with the choice of McDavid, but if we’re favoring half a season, shouldn’t Anaheim’s John Gibson have garnered more interest?
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Hart Memorial Trophy (League MVP)
Jamie Benn (DAL), Sidney Crosby (PIT), Patrick Kane (CHI)
Who Should Win: Patrick Kane (CHI)
His production hit a wall late in the season, but he still managed to score 46 goals, 60 assists (106 points).
Give Crosby and Benn a lot of credit for what they did in 2015-16, but unfortunately it falls short in comparison to the American winger.
Who Will Win: Patrick Kane (CHI)
It’s not just his production that pushes him over the top. Kane is one of the NHL’s best two-way right-wingers. Don’t believe me? Search the web. Patrick Kane has had several highlight reel back checks in 2015-16, and throughout his career.
I’d take Patrick Kane over Phil Kessel every day of the week. Not a knock on Stanley Cup Champion Phil the Thrill, but there’s something to be said for a player who competes just as hard away from the puck.