The NHL has just reached the mid point of the season. With most teams beginning to gear up for the playoffs, let's take a look at some mid-season awards for exemplary first half performances.
Hart Trophy (Most Valuable Player): Sidney Crosby – Pittsburgh Penguins
This battle was close. Crosby gets the edge here as he has just torn up the league this year despite missing the first few weeks of the season due to a concussion. He also managed to overcome this to put up the 3rd most points in the league (46), while leading the league in goals (26) and points per game (1.28). The runner up goes to young phenomena Connor McDavid who has created a newfound sense of hope in the hearts of Oilers fans. McDavid leads the league in points (50) and assists (36) while having the 3rd best points per game (1.11).
Norris Trophy (best defenseman): Brent Burns – San Jose Sharks
At this point in the season, we seem to have a three-horse-race for the Norris. It comes down to Brent Burns, Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson. The midseason winner right now is Brent Burns. Not only does he lead all defensemen in goals (17) and points (44), he’s also 6th among all skaters in the points category. He’s been a driving force for the Sharks offense while also being a solid defender. Hedman leads all defensemen in assists (31) as he and Karlsson are 2nd and 3rd among defensemen in points, respectively. All 3 of these players have strong arguments, but Burns is having the better season so he deserves the nod.
Vezina Trophy (best goalie): Devan Dubnyk – Minnesota Wild
Devan Dubnyk has been lights-out this season. After being on four teams in a span of three seasons, he has finally found a home in Minnesota as he has guided them to first place in the Central Division. Dubnyk is leading the league in both save percentage (.940) and goals against average (1.78) while also being second in the league in wins (23). He is clearly the best goalie this season but we should also give an honorable mention to Sergei Bobrovsky who leads the league in wins (26) with respectable stats as well.
Calder Trophy (best rookie): Auston Matthews – Toronto Maple Leafs
This is the closest battle in any of the awards, with the two players putting up nearly identical stats. Both have exactly 21 goals and 16 assists. Each player has had a great impact on his team but Matthews and the Leafs are in a better position in the standings than the Jets. Factor in how Matthews has better possession numbers with a strong CF60% (51.99) than Laine (47.57) and the edge goes to the Leafs star.
Jack Adams Award (Best Coach): John Tortorella – Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets were the fourth worst team in the league last season, and now they have the second best record in the league under the tutelage of John Tortorella. This team gained a lot of recognition after rattling off 16 wins in a row, the second longest streak in the history of the NHL which ended a week ago. The Blue Jackets are more than just a streak however, as they have been firing on all cylinders this whole season. Statistically, they are third in the league in goals for and goals against while also boasting a top 10 PK unit and the league’s best power-play attack. Columbus has broken out, and the league is taking notice.
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints and ideas of DARPAN Magazine.
