Oilers have Hart? McDavid, Draisaitl are MVP candidates
The Edmonton Oilers’ resurgence placed Connor McDavid back in the NHL MVP conversation, along with teammate Leon Draisaitl.
Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and Boston’s David Pastrnak made their case, too, during a pandemicshortened season. And don’t forget Artemi Panarin, a late entry after the Rangers finished
AP AWARD PICKS
Associated Press writers Larry Lage, John Wawrow and Stephen Whyno weigh in with their picks:
HART TROPHY (MVP)
Leon Draisaitl: “Led the league with a career-high 110points in just 71games, giving the
Pacific Division-contending Oilers a second star to go along with McDavid.” — Lage.
Draisaitl: “Stepped up in his ability to play in all situations, while taking the emphasis off McDavid on a team that contended for the division title.” — Wawrow.
Nathan MacKinnon: “Had 43 more points than his next-closest Colorado teammate and carried the Avalanche to the second spot in the West... amid injuries to Gabriel Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen and both goaltenders.” — Whyno. VEZINA TROPHY
(TOP GOALIE)
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg, (31-21-5, 2.57goals-against average): “Bounced back from shaky season with a strong showing with an NHL-high six shutouts for the Jets, who have a losing record without him in net.” — Lage. Hellebuyck: “Went 10-5-1and allowed 34goals in starting 16of the Jets’ final 19games in helping Winnipeg climb from ... tied for ninth in points to seventh ...” — Wawrow. Hellebuyck: “Boston’s Tuukka Rask has the best numbers but also the stronger team in front of him...” — Whyno.
NORRIS TROPHY
(TOP DEFENSEMAN)
John Carlson, Washington (15 goals, 60assists, 75points, 69 games): “He had more points than any other defenseman, and was the world’s best on the blue line after finishing in the top five in voting 11th in the Eastern Conference, enough to qualify for the league’s proposed 24-team playoff format.
Difficult as it may be to remember the last time the puck dropped on March 11, the three months that have passed at least provided time for awards voters to pore over the numbers before submitting their ballots this week.
“This year, I’ve had more time than ever, honestly, because I haven’t been getting the past two years.” — Lage. Roman Josi, Nashville (16goals,
49 assists, 65points: “Joined Carlson as the NHL’s only two blueliners to lead their team in points while averaging a minute more of ice time per game and finishing seventh among defenseman with a
plus-22 rating.” — Wawrow. Carlson: “Flip a coin between Carlson and Josi, and the Predators defenseman might’ve taken this had the season gone 82games. Still, Carlson put up 10more points ...” — Whyno
CALDER CUP (TOP ROOKIE) Quinn Hughes, Vancouver (eight goals, 45assists, 53points:
“Led rookies in points and assists, giving the Canucks a shot to make the playoffs for the first time since
2015.” — Lage.
Cale Makar, Colorado (12goals,
38assists, 50points: “The analytics might point to Hughes, but Makar passed the eye test while finishing with three fewer points in
11fewer games...” — Wawrow. Hughes: “In a nail-biter against Makar, the Canucks defenseman
... gets the nod for staying healthy and playing 68games, skating almost a minute more each and having a bigger impact on Vancouver.” — Whyno.
SELKE TROPHY (TOP DEFENSIVE FORWARD)
Patrice Bergeron, Boston: “Boston appears to be the NHL’s best team in part because of one of the greatest two-way players. If Bergeron wins the award for a fifth time, he will break the record set by Hall of Famer Bob Gainey.” — Lage. Sean Couturier, Flyers: “Led the NHL by winning 59.6% of faceoffs
(542of 909), finished tied for 10th with a plus-21rating while leading on airplanes,” joked NBC’s Pierre McGuire.
The only difficulty for McGuire was making projections on candidates because a full season wasn’t completed, and teams played an uneven number of games.
McGuire leaned toward favoring McDavid, who won the Hart in 2017, and Draisaitl by calling them “doubletrouble” in helping the Oilers reach the playoffs for just the second time in 14 years.
Flyers forwards in averaging 19 minutes and 49seconds in ice time.” — Wawrow.
Couturier: “Slam-dunk first
Selke for a guy who led the NHL in faceoff-winning percentage, averaged 2minutes a game on the penalty kill and also put up 22goals and 37 assists.” — Whyno.
LADY BYNG MEMORIAL TROPHY (SPORTSMANSHIP) Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis: “The
2014Byng winner had just 10 penalty minutes this season while leading the ...Blues with 61points and 49assists.” — Lage.
O’Reilly: “Except for the grizzled beard, there’s nothing dirty about O’Reilly’s play, which nudges him ahead of Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin.” — Wawrow.
Jaccob Slavin, Carolina: “An antiquated award calls for different measures of success, but Slavin is not only gentlemanly off the ice, but also on it with only 10penalty minutes while facing top opposing lines in big minutes.” — Whyno. JACK ADAMS TROPHY (TOP COACH)
John Tortorella, Columbus (3322-15): “Columbus lost Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Matt Duchene in free agency and still became a playoff contender .... ” — Lage. Dave Tippett, Edmonton (3725-9): “Often underrated for his eight-year stint with the talentdepleted Coyotes, Tippett showed how capable he was in transforming the previously under-achieving Oilers ...” — Wawrow.
Tortorella: “After everyone thought the Blue Jackets would struggle ... Columbus had a pile of injuries most of the year and still was a contender because of Tortorella.” — Whyno.