My Picks for the 2023 NHL Awards
We have reached the point in the year where the finalists for NHL awards are being released. While some awards seem to be locked down, others are still completely up for grabs. Here is what my ballot would look like if I had a vote:
Hart Memorial Trophy (League's Most Valuable Player)
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers
Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche
Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars
Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
With 64 goals and 153 points, Connor McDavid is a shoo-in for the Hart. He clinched his first Maurice "Rocket" Richard (top goal scorer), and his fifth Art Ross (leading scorer). In the past 30 years, only three players won both the Art Ross and the Rocket Richard in the same year- Mario Lemieux in 1995-96, Jarome Iginla 2001-02, and Alex Ovechkin in 2007-08- and two of the three went on to win the Hart. Combine that with the fact that McDavid is the first player to score over 150 points in a single season since Mario Lemieux had 161 in 1995-96, and McDavid is an automatic lock for the Hart.
If McDavid didn't have such a historic season, a compelling case could be made for the Hart to go to Matthew Tkachuk. Tkachuk was the heart and soul of the Florida Panthers team, and all but dragged them into the playoffs himself. With 40 goals and 69 assists, Tkachuk was easily Florida's most valuable player; without him, the Panthers would have likely been a lottery team.
Mikko Rantanen was one of the only Colorado Avalanche players that stayed healthy all season. There were stretches where Rantanen was the only top six player healthy, and he stepped up in a big way. Rantanen tallied 55 goals and 50 assists, with nine game winning goals. The Colorado Avalanche had the 6th ranked power play at 24.5%, and Rantanen lead the team with 13 power play goals and 37 power play points. MacKinnon missed 11 games, Nichushkin missed 29, Lehkonen missed 18, Rodrigues missed 13, Byram missed 40, and Makar missed 22. The Colorado Avalanche ended up winning the Central Division, due in no small part to Rantanen's consistent production.
Jason Robertson set the single season points record for the Dallas Stars. The record was previously held by Mike Modano, who put up 93 points during the 1993-94 season. With 109 points (46 goals and 63 assists), Robertson now sits alone as the only Dallas Star to score over 100 points in a single season.
Jack Hughes also set the single season points record for his team, the New Jersey Devils. Hughes put up 99 points (43 goals and 56 assists) to dethrone Patrik Eliáš (96 points in 2000-01) as the single season points leader.
James Norris Memorial Trophy (Best Defenseman)
Erik Karlsson, San Jose Sharks
Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
Adam Fox, New York Rangers
Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Erik Karlsson made headlines this year as he became the first NHL defenseman to hit 100 points in a single season since Brian Leetch in 1991-92. With 25 goals and 76 assists, Karlsson is only the sixth defenseman to hit the 100 point mark- the others being Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey, Al MacInnis, Denis Potvin, and Brian Leetch. Karlsson marks the 15th time that a defenseman has hit 100 points in a single season. This would be Karlsson's 3rd Norris, as he won in 2011-12, and again in 2014-15. Karlsson lead all defensemen with 1.23 points per game.
Miro Heiskanen set the record for most points scored in a single season by a Dallas Stars defenseman. With 73 points (11 goals and 62 assists) Heiskanen passes Sergei Zubov's 71 points (13 goals and 58 assists), who set the record during the 2005-06 season. Heiskanen was a huge contribution to special teams. The Stars had the 3rd ranked penalty kill at 83.5%, and the 5th ranked power play at 25%. Heiskanen lead the team in power play assists (32), and was second in power play points (34).
Josh Morrissey had a career year for the Winnipeg Jets. In 78 regular season games, Morrissey put up 76 points- 16 goals and 60 assists. He finished the year tied for second in points by a NHL defensemen, behind Erik Karlsson.
Adam Fox had a strong season with the New York Rangers. Fox had a 72 point season (12 goals and 60 assists) that put him as the 8th highest scoring defenseman. He finished third on the team in blocked shots (125), and lead the league in takeaways by a defender (88). Fox is the second Rangers defenseman to have consecutive 70-point seasons; the first was Brian Leetch.
Cale Makar is the reigning Norris Trophy winner, and finished 9th among defensemen in scoring, despite missing 22 games due to injury. Makar finished the season with 66 points- 17 goals and 49 assists- in only 60 games, ranking him second behind Erik Karlsson in points per game with 1.10.
Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year)
Matty Beniers, Seattle Kraken
Owen Power, Buffalo Sabres
Wyatt Johnston, Dallas Stars
Stuart Skinner, Edmonton Oilers
Matias Maccelli, Arizona Coyotes
Matty Beniers centered the top line for the Seattle Kraken this season, and lead all rookies in scoring with 57 points (24 goals and 33 assists). He was 4th on the team in scoring. Beniers, who turned 20 in November, was selected to attend his first All Star Game, but could not attend due to injury. Beniers averaged 17:06 of ice time, and went 42.2% in the face-off circle.
While Owen Power might not have the flashiest statistics, he quickly cemented himself as a defensive cornerstone for the Buffalo Sabres. He finished 8th in points among rookies with 35- four goals and 31 assists. Power was second on the team in TOI/GP (Time on Ice per Game Played) with 23:48, and 20th in the league. Since 1997-98, Power recorded the 5th most TOI/GP among rookies.
At 19 years old, Wyatt Johnston of the Dallas Stars was the youngest player to play all 82 games this regular season. With 41 points (24 goals and 17 assists), he finished 4th in scoring amongst rookies, but tied Matty Beniers from Seattle for the lead in goals scored by a rookie. Johnston averaged 15:29 TOI/GP, and won 43.3% of his face-offs.
Stuart Skinner won the starting job for the Edmonton Oilers, and appears to be the answer to their problems in goal. He started 48 games, and played 50. Skinner allowed only 133 goals against 1,536 shots faced, ranked 6th against goalies who played at least 45 games. He posted a .914 SV%, which ranked 9th against goalies who played at least 45 games. His 2.75 GAA was 10th ranked against goalies who played at least 45 games.
Matias Maccelli of the Arizona Coyotes finished 2nd in rookie scoring, despite only playing 64 games after being sidelined with a lower-body injury. He put up 49 points- 11 goals and 38 assists- on a team that was 27th in goals for, with 225. Maccelli averaged 15:41 of ice time.
Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender)
Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders
Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins
Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Ilya Sorokin had a career year between the pipes for the New York Islanders, and had a record of 31-22-7. He started 60 games and played in 62. Sorokin faced 1,838 shots- the 6th most in the league- and only allowed 140 goals, which was the 7th best in the league. He lead the league with six shutouts, and posted a .924 SV% and a 2.34 GAA, which were both 2nd best in the league.
Linus Ullmark is probably the consensus pick for the Vezina, and had a career year with the Boston Bruins. He allowed the least goals (91), posted the highest save percentage (.938), and had the best GAA (1.89). However, he only started 48 games, and was more of a 1A goalie than a true starter. He posted two shutouts, had a record of 40-6-1, and scored a 'goalie goal'.
Juuse Saros was stellar this season for the Nashville Predators, and played 64 games with a record of 33-23-7. He lead the league in shots faced (2,099), and also in saves (1,928). His .919 SV% was tied for 4th in the league. Saros has a 2.69 GAA, and posted two shutouts.
Connor Hellebuyck had another great campaign between the pipes for the Winnipeg Jets. He started 64 games, faced the 3rd most shots in the league (1,964), and made the 2nd most saves (1,807). Hellebuyck had the 3rd best save percentage in the league with a .920, and his 2.49 GAA was the 4th best in the league. He had a record of 37-25-2, and posted four shutouts.
Jake Oettinger was a top goalie in the league during his second season as a starter. He played in 62 games, with a record of 37-11-11. His .919 SV% was tied for 4th best in the league, and he had a 2.37 GAA, which was 3rd best in the league. Oettinger was tied for 2nd in the league in shutouts with five.
*All goaltender stats are against goaltenders who played at least 45 games
Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year)
Jim Montgomery, Boston Bruins
Dave Hakstol, Seattle Kraken
Lindy Ruff, New Jersey Devils
Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes
Bruce Cassidy, Vegas Golden Knights
Jim Montgomery lead the Boston Bruins- a team that, when the season started, was written off by most fans and analysts because of injuries- to their third Atlantic Division title, and the best regular season in the history of the NHL. The Bruins started the season 10-1, and didn't look back. They rattled off numerous win streaks, including a 10 game win streak that started on February 14th and finally came to an end on March 9th against the Edmonton Oilers. They also had three different seven game win streaks, and ended the season with eight straight wins to tie, and then set, the NHL record for most wins and points. The Bruins ended the year with a record of 65-12-5, with 135 points.
Dave Hakstol coached the Seattle Kraken into a playoff spot in their second year of existence, with a record of 46-28-8 with 100 points- a record setting 19 win and 40 point improvement from their inaugural season. On January 14th, the Kraken became the first team in NHL history to sweep a road trip of at least seven games, with wins over the Edmonton Oilers, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Ottawa Senators, the Montreal Canadiens, the Buffalo Sabres, the Boston Bruins, and the Chicago Blackhawks. The Kraken had shaky goaltending all year- the three goalies who played this year posted an average save percentage of .894- but Hakstol's leadership (and the team's depth) made them a dark horse competitor.
The New Jersey Devils' season didn't get off to a great start. When they lost the first two games, fans were calling for Lindy Ruff's job, chanting "fire Lindy" during the home opener. The fans quickly saw the error in their ways, however, and even went so far as to chant "sorry Lindy" less than a month later because the team was on a heater, and would go on to tie a franchise record with a 13 game win streak. The Devils ended the season with the 3rd best record in the league (52-22-8 with 112 points)- a vast improvement from the previous season, where they had been the 28th ranked team in the league.
The Carolina Hurricanes, under Rod Brind'Amour's guidance, finished the season with the 2nd best record in the league, and the 2nd best record in franchise history (52-21-9 with 113 points). The Hurricanes won their second Metropolitan Division title, and their midseason 11 game win streak- 17 consecutive games with a point- set a franchise record.
In his first year coaching the Vegas Golden Knights, Bruce Cassidy lead his team to 51-22-9 and 111 points: the best record in the Western Conference, and the best record in their franchise's short history. Despite a slew of injuries- including a revolving door of goaltenders, back surgery for the team's captain Mark Stone, and a constantly battered bottom six- Vegas remained consistent under Cassidy's leadership.
Frank J. Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward)
Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
Anže Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils
Mikael Backlund, Calgary Flames
For a record-setting 12th straight season, Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins is a Selke finalist. Bergeron already holds the record for the most Selke Trophies in NHL history with five, and is likely about to win his sixth. He finished the 2022-23 regular season with 54 blocked shots, 38 takeaways, and was a +35 while averaging 17:24 of ice time. Bergeron won 61.1% of face-offs taken, and averaged 1:46 in short-handed ice time with two short-handed goals.
The Selke hasn't been won by a winger since before the 2004-05 lockout, but Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs has a good shot at taking home the hardware. He averaged 21:17 of ice time to lead all forwards on his team. Marner blocked 45 shots, was a +18, and lead the league in takeaways with 104. He was second on the team in ice time per game while short-handed (2:17), scored four short-handed goals, and provided a short-handed assist.
For years, Anže Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings has been a top defensive forward in the league, and this season wasn't any different. He blocked 87 shots- 3rd most among forwards- and had 46 takeaways. Kopitar averaged 20:18 of ice time and 1:52 of short-handed ice time per game, and recorded one short-handed assist. He won 55.9% of the face-offs he took, and was a +20.
Nico Hischier had a career year for the New Jersey Devils, and his defensive metrics were no exception. Hischier was a +33, blocked 61 shots, and forced 64 takeaways while averaging 19:17 of ice time. He was critical to the Devils 4th ranked penalty kill, and averaged 2:06 of short-handed ice time per game. Hischier scored three short-handed goals, provided a short-handed assist, and won 53.9% of his face-offs.
Mikael Backlund was a bright spot this season for the Calgary Flames. He averaged 18:10 of ice time per game, and won 50.9% of the face-offs he took. Backlund blocked 31 shots, had 60 takeaways, and was a +24. He averaged 2:09 of short-handed time on ice per game, scored a short-handed goal, and recorded three short-handed assists.
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sportsmanship and Gentlemanly Conduct)
Anže Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
Matty Beniers, Seattle Kraken
Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils
In 82 games this season, Anže Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings racked up 74 points: 28 goals and 46 assists. He lead all forwards on his team in ice time, with an average of 20:18 per game. Kopitar drew 11 penalties, while only taking two minor penalties.
Matty Beniers played 80 games this season, and scored 57 points (24 goals and 33 assists). He averaged 17:06 of ice time per game. Beniers only took one minor penalty all season, and drew 24.
In 78 games with the New Jersey Devils, Jack Hughes scored 43 goals and provided 56 assists for a total of 99 points. He lead all forwards on his team in ice time, averaging 19:58 per game. Hughes took three minor penalties, and drew 22.
Brayden Point played all 82 games this season for the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a career year, scoring 51 goals and 95 points. He was second among forwards on his team in ice time, with an average of 19:40 per game. Point drew 17 penalties, and took one minor and one major penalty- a total of seven PIMs.
In 81 games, Nico Hischier of the New Jersey Devils scored 80 points- 31 goals and 49 assists. He averaged the second most ice time per game among forwards on his team with 19:17. Hischier drew 30 penalties and took five minor penalties.
