Lightning duo top MVP race at quarter mark
The NHL season is 48 days old, but history shows that teams not in a playoff position on Thanksgiving will have a difficult time getting there by the end of the season.
With 309 games played, we will be at the quarter pole of the season this week.
USA TODAY NHL columnist Kevin Allen and NHL editor Jimmy Hascup weigh in with their award front-runners (advanced stats from Corsica.hockey; stats through Sunday’s games).
Hart Trophy (MVP)
Allen: Steven Stamkos, Lightning: It’s truthfully a toss-up between Stamkos and linemate Nikita Kucherov, but Stamkos might be playing the best hockey of his career. Runner-up: Kucherov.
Hascup: Kucherov, Lightning: He’s the league’s leading goal scorer on the NHL’s top team. Kucherov also ranks second with 33 points and leads the league in points per 60 minutes (3.78) at even strength among players with at least 200 minutes. Runner-up: Jaden Schwartz (Blues)
Calder Trophy (rookie)
Allen: Clayton Keller, Coyotes: The 11 goals are impressive, but his most telling statistics are his 71 shots on goal. That ranks 12th in the NHL. Runner-up: Will Butcher (Devils) Hascup: Matthew Barzal, Islanders: Barzal’s emergence as a legitimate top-six center has been vital. He leads rookies in points (19); he has a 54% Corsi (5% better than his team without him on the ice) and is 18th in the NHL in primary points (first assist or goal) per 60 minutes. Runner-up: Keller
Vezina Trophy (goalie)
Allen: Sergei Bobrovsky, Blue Jack
ets: In 16 starts, Bobrovsky owns a .933 save percentage and has given up one or no goals in eight of those appearances. Runner-up: Corey Crawford (Blackhawks) Hascup: Bobrovsky: Among start- ers, Bobrovsky is first in overall SV% (.933), first in five-on-five save percentage (.944) and tied for third in wins (11). Runner-up: Crawford
Norris Trophy (defenseman)
Allen: Alex Pietrangelo, Blues: He has played a major role in the Blues’ 15
5-1 start. Pietrangelo is playing 26:12 per game, and he’s tied for second among defensemen in shots on goal (69). Only
16 defensemen are playing 25 or more minutes, and he leads them all in plusminus (+9). Runner-up: Victor Hedman (Lightning) Hascup: Pietrangelo: He’s tied for first among defensemen in points (19); he is a positive possession player and has a 64% goals-for percentage (16 goals for, nine against at even strength). Runner-up: Erik Karlsson (Senators)
Jack Adams Award (coach)
Allen: Mike Yeo, Blues: His team has been the NHL’s best since he took over in February. Runner-up: John Hynes (Devils)
Hascup: John Stevens, Kings: Their puck possession is worse than in previous seasons, but the Kings have scored more and look rejuvenated.
Biggest disappointment
Allen: Oilers: They were a fashionable pick to reach the Stanley Cup Final, and Monday morning they ranked 29th out of 31 NHL teams. Runner-up: Canadiens Hascup: Oilers: This was supposed to be the start of more glory years. Runner-up: Canadiens
Most Improved Team
Allen: Devils: How many pundits projected the Devils leading the Metropolitan Division this close to Thanksgiving? Zero would be a good guess. Runner-up: Lightning
Hascup: Devils: They are better, especially on offense. Even though they’ve gone from 28th to seventh in the overall standings, there are questions about sustainability. Runner-up: Kings
Biggest surprise
Allen: Brayden Schenn, Blues: Schenn is among the scoring leaders. He’s on a 100-point pace after never having more than 59 in his career. Runner-up: Sean Couturier (Flyers) Hascup: Connor Hellebuyck, Jets: Winnipeg signed Steve Mason after Hellebuyck’s disappointing 2016-17 season. Now, Hellebuyck (.931 SV% in 15 games) is the reason for the Jets’ strong start. Runner-up: Couturier
Biggest mystery
Allen: Pittsburgh Penguins: The two-time defending champions rank
26th in goals-against average and are strangely inconsistent. Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang are both minus-12. Phil Kessel (+2) is the only big-name Penguins player who isn’t minus. Their 5
on-5 scoring average is one of the NHL’s worst. Runner-up: Wild Hascup: Carey Price, Canadiens: He hasn’t played since Nov. 2 because of a lower-body injury, and his return date is unclear. Even when he played, he sported a 3.77 goals-against average and .877 SV%. Runner-up: Rangers