NHL Awards Picks: Hart, Vezina Norris, Calder, and Norris – Way too early

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One of the most annoying things about the NHL Awards, is the fact that we spend almost as much time discussing their subjective parameters than we do deciding which players or coaches should win them.

The Norris Trophy should not rely so heavily upon a defenseman’s offensive output. What role should team success play in the Vezina Trophy’s goaltending selection? Age is just a number, or should the accomplishments of an 18-year old be weighed against those of a 25 year-old who has played three seasons in KHL?

The Hart Trophy is perhaps the most controversial trophy. This is understandable considering the high prestige that the MVP award has throughout sports. Voters and fans are puzzled by the question of who should win and why.

I reached out to Hart Trophy winners to learn their thoughts on the award and its arbitrary parameters.

It just so happens that I work with a man who has won the award twice. These are Mark Messier’s Rules for Hockey MVPs.

Rule no. Rule 1: The context is the king

Messier, ESPN analyst, Hockey Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst, stated, “I never considered winning a Hart Trophy one time, to be honest with myself,” and won it in 1989-90 for Edmonton and in 1991-1992 for the NHL. New York Rangers.

This surprised me right away. Mark Messier is a man born with a captain’s ‘C’ on his chest. who literally has an annual award for leadership that bears his name. MVP honors for a guy would be obvious, but not mandatory.

Back in the 1980s, Messier was a teammate with Wayne Gretzky Edmonton OilersAlthough he was the foundational player, he wasn’t the MVP. Gretzky was the winner of the award in eight consecutive seasons (1979-80 to 1986-1987).

“I was playing a different part when I was playing with Wayne. I didn’t think about the Hart Trophy. Messier explained that there were many ways to win every Cup.

The 1989-90 Oilers were a team attempting to return to the top. Edmonton did not advance to the second round for seven consecutive seasons. Gretzky was not in Hollywood. The Oilers still had a strong roster but there were plenty of end-of-dynasty proclamations.

After Gretzky, Messier’s role was slightly different.

“We had a good year. Wayne was gone, and I had to take on more responsibility in that year. We found our groove. While we may not have been the most talented team, we did play well as a group.

But he “leveled” and the Oilers improved every year. Messier suddenly became the MVP.

Rule no. 2: Career highs help

It is easy to see how Messier won that Oilers season. His career-high 129 points in just 79 games was a new record and a significant improvement on his previous 72 games score of 94. He scored 45 goals — his highest score since scoring 50 goals in 1981-82. These marks were not the best in the league. Messier was second to Gretzky’s Los Angeles score of 142 points, while Gretzky finished ninth in goals. However, it was his moment to shine.

Messier said, “I’ve never seen myself as an offensive player before,”

A career year as a star player will guarantee you win the Hart. Nikita Kucherov, Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid In 2016-17,… even Taylor HallHart’s win for dragging a weak Devils team into the playoffs was made possible by a scoring year that was 13 points higher than any other season in his entire career.

Rule No. Rule No. 3: You don’t have to play in the playoffs

Here’s where Messier and I differ a little. When it comes to Hart candidates who finish outside the playoffs, I am a notorious “gotta be there to win it” voter. The NHL regular season is how I determine a team’s worth. It also includes whether they make it to the playoffs. I do not value any teams that lack value. Therefore, I cannot value the value of a player on a team without any value. capiche?

Mario Lemieux, a player from a non playoff team, was the last to win MVP back when Pittsburgh finished just two points behind a playoff seed in 1987-1988. McDavid was third in 2018-19 after the Oilers were out of the money.

Messier is at the fence.

“It’s a heated debate that will continue for many years. He stated that there was no right or wrong answer. “I believe that guys can have amazing individual seasons. It’s up for debate whether they are most valuable to their team.

He did however offer an interesting counterargument. Why would it be okay for a Conn Smythe-winning Stanley Cup player to win? This is something I have advocated for many times. But why not for a regular season player to win Hart?

This gave me time to think. Per tradition, I vowed to not support non-playoff MVP nominees.

Rule no. Rule 4: Goalies may win

Former Detroit Red Wings Last year, coach Jeff Blashill asked Blashill if goalies should be eligible to win Hart Trophy. Blashill replied, “Goalies have an award,” but it is possible to argue that the goalie has the most importance on the team.

He responded by highlighting the two most controversial aspects to goalies winning Harts: The Vezina Trophy is “the goalie trophy” and that you could, just like quarterbacks in football (or vice versa), award a goalie every season the MVP award, as the position is so important.

Messier’s career saw four Hart wins for goalies, Dominik Haskek twice and Messier three times. The last goalie who won MVP was Carey Price The cap era’s only winner in 2014-15 was Messier. Messier was hesitant to answer my question about whether goalies should win Hart. He replied with two words:

Igor Shesterkin.

“When you think about the MVP for a team that was just on the bubble of making it to the playoffs… you take Shesterkin of the Rangers. Was there a man more valuable to his team as Shesterkin was last year to the Rangers?” He said. “It’s possible to argue that he should win it last year.” Hart voting was third last season, and Rangers goalie Alexis Bostic placed third.

Messier’s 2022-23 Hart Trophy prediction: Igor Shesterkin.

Now let’s award some prizes!

Hart Trophy

Frontrunners: Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews Kirill Kaprizov, Igor Shesterkin, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby
Hipster picks Cale Makar, Mark Stone, Matthew Tkachuk, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Jack Hughes
My favorite longshot: Jack Eichel

For Messier’s “career highs assistance” rule, I believe Kaprizov to be the answer. Minnesota Wild If he can surpass his 47-goal, 110-point effort from last year, he could be in with a chance of winning the Hart. The guy is supported by a lot of people, possibly because he’s the brightest star among a number of previous winners of this award.

Eichel is an intriguing longshot. MGM Sportsbooks offers 13 players with better odds, such as Eichel. He is a point-per game talent for a team many believe is in the bubble because of its goaltending. It also missed the playoffs last year. Stone may not be the Knights’ soul if Eichel is the offensive leader and plays over 70 games. Eichel could win MVP.

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Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner discusses Alex Ovechkin’s quest for the most career NHL goals.

Norris Trophy

Frontrunners: Cale Makar, Adam Fox, Roman Josi, Victor Hedman, Charlie McAvoy, Aaron Ekblad, Quinn Hughes, Kris Letang, Alex Pietrangelo
Hipster picks Devon Toews, Jaccob Slavin, Shea Theodore, Jared Spurgeon
My favorite longshot: Miro Heiskanen

The Makar Era could be just beginning, but the Norris can be fickle when it comes down to defensemen winning multiple seasons in succession. Nicklas Lidstrom, 2005-06 through 2007, was the last player to win consecutive seasons. Nicklas, who won consecutive seasons in 2005-06 and 2007-08, was the last to do so. He did it from 2000-01 through 2002-04. Makar must have this kind of streak, because he is still improving year after year.

Heiskanen from the Dallas Stars I am intrigued by two things. First, because he’s one of the few defensemen from this wave of young stars That hasn’t been given serious Norris consideration. Because he will get top power-play moments with John Klingberg Peter DeBoer’s new coaching system that allows 5-on-5 offense through Stars defensemen has been adopted. Miro Heiskanen’s 36-point performance places him 12th for Norris. How about 56 points?

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Cale Makar discusses his offseason after winning Stanley Cup and what Avalanche hopes to accomplish this season.

Calder Trophy

Frontrunners: Matty Beniers, Owen Power, Mason McTavish, Shane Wright, Cole Perfetti, Marco Rossi, Juraj Slafkovsky
Hipster picks Alexander Holtz, Jack Quinn, Jake Sanderson
My favorite longshot: Logan Thompson

Power and Beniers seem to have the greatest juice going into the season. The Kraken are loaded on the wing, so I may like Beniers’ chances more. McTavish is a world juniors candidate with a lot to offer, and I think voters will love the style he plays.

Thompson is a long shot because the Golden Knights will get average goaltending from Thompson, and they’ll make the playoffs. This is an excellent story about a “rookie who steps in to save the Season”. Remember Messier Rule No. 1. Context is the king.

Vezina Trophy

Frontrunners: Igor Shesterkin, Juuse Saros, Ilya Sorokin, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Jacob Markstrom, Thatcher Demko, Frederik Andersen, Connor Hellebuyck
Hipster picks Tristan Jarry, Jake Oettinger
My favorite longshot: Jack Campbell

Shesterkin will probably lose because this is Shesterkin’s game. Vasilevskiy is an interesting counterpoint. He could be the best thing about this Lightning squad. If the Jets are in the playoffs, and Hellebuyck is given a smaller workload, I wonder if Hellebuyck will be back in the discussion.

Sean Allen, an ESPN fantasy hockey friend, chose Campbell to win the Vezina. It’s so absurd that I can’t help but pick it as my favorite longshot, even though it’s unlikely. Now, Stuart Skinner However,…

Play

3:38

Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning’s goalie talks to John Buccigross on being denied a third-peat at Russia’s expense.

Jack Adams

Frontrunners: Mike Sullivan. Rod Brind’Amour. Jared Bednar. Jon Cooper. Bruce Boudreau. Jay Woodcroft. Darryl Sutter. Bruce Cassidy. Gerard Gallant. John Hynes.
Hipster picks D.J. Smith, Don Granato Pete DeBoer Lane Lambert Dean Evason
My favorite longshot: Jim Montgomery

Although there are some interesting names among these frontrunners (Bruce Cassidy and Gerard Gallant included), I find it hard to believe Montgomery isn’t more on my radar screens. Adams would be proud of Montgomery’s history of beating addiction, and the possibility of keeping the Bruins in contention through their injury woes. His system could also help them return to the top defensively. Yet he didn’t receive a single vote in the recent poll NHL.com

This candidate seems pretty obvious.

We don’t set the rules. Only Mark Messier can.

Jersey Foul of Week

New season. New fouls.

Quick scan of Carolina Hurricanes Jersey history records nine players wearing No. 13. Could this be Ray Whitney or Bates Battaglia? Max Domi? Most likely not. Another possibility is found in a deeper internet search: In 2006, Embalmer released “13 Faces of Death”, their first and only full-length studio album. Mysteries solved

Video of Week

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3:00

Greg Wyshynski explains the Colorado Avalanche’s quest to be Stanley Cup champions again.

I had the privilege of working with the amazing video team at SportsCenter to create this. Colorado Avalanche essay. Enjoy the mountain puns. Stay for the obstacles that prevent a Stanley Cup repeat.

The Week’s Winners and Losers

Winner: Digital ads displayed on the boards

Surprised at the number of people who didn’t absolutely hate the NHL digital advertising on the boards, I found it surprising. the “erase and replace” tech It lays 30-second ads above the real-world logos inside the arena. According to studies by the league, digital ads are more appealing to the eyes. It seemed that some of the feedback I received was in line with it.

It wasn’t unanimous. A friend of mine from the NHL told me that the ads had made her “nauseous”. It wasn’t perfect. I saw some glitches in the opening of the bench doors and flickering when a Kings player’s white shirt got too close to the boards. The backlash was not as severe as I had expected. We’ll soon get used to it.

Loser: What cannot be seen?

The reflections on the ice for the “real-world” ads was the only thing I could see once I had seen them. Congratulations to “ATLED” & “OCIEG on the subliminal promotions.

Donny Meatballs is the winner

Don Granato moved from being an interim coach to becoming a head coach and was awarded a contract extension that will keep him in the league through the 2024-25 seasons. We hope that the rest of the team will be there by then. Buffalo Sabres He will be in playoff contention again and will be rewarded for all his efforts. It’s okay to be happy when things go well for good people.

Loser: Alberta Beef

These prices were spotted by Twitter user Brad Slater at an Oilers preseason match. Take a look at combo No. Combination No. 2 and combination No. 5. You can do the math and find that Lay’s chips cost $11 for two bags. A 10-pack of the same chips costs $6.99 (US).

Edmonton fans, if you continue to buy these $55 combo meals, then you will have no money. the $60 “Oilers+” streaming service This gives you an opportunity to hear what Warren Foegele Moments after it was over, I thought of the game.

Winner: Vegas Golden Knights

Their first night win over the Los Angeles Kings It was a proof-of-concept victory. Logan Thompson’s performance was slightly less than expected (-0.37 more goals saved than expected, per Evolution Hockey), but Vegas still manages to get enough stops to allow their full roster to win. The Knights received a goal by the Jonathan MarchessaultJack Eichel from their power play and Mark Stone with game-winner

Rinse, repeat. This team will need competent goaltending but it’ll be capable of scoring in many situations.

Loser tradition of Opening Night

I … don’t understand. I understand the sentiment. This speech was given by a referee before a faceoff and with no one paying attention. Chris Rooney’s speech on “what’s more than this?” This reminded of a high-school principal who hyped the annual faculty talent competition. Wes McCauley will either do it again if we are doing this again.

The headlines for Puck

From your friends at ESPN

We are thrilled to announce that Arda and I will be bringing “The Drop”, a new series of episodes to the NHL on ESPN YouTube channel. The new episodes will drop each Thursday. ESPN allowed our unique brand of whimsy to thrive and we hope that you will join us on the journey!


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