There were no easy choices in the NHL awards race this season.
From the Jack Adams to the Hart Trophy, every field featured a slew of quality contenders.
Here’s a breakdown of who could come away with the hardware this year:
Jack Adams Trophy (best coach)
Who should win: Ken Hitchcock – St. Louis Blues
Hitchcock won the award in 2012 and deserves a look this season for doing more with less than his closest competitor, Barry Trotz. The Blues emerged as the second-best team in the Western Conference despite playing in the league’s toughest division and withstanding injuries to key players including Alexander Steen, Alex Pietrangelo, Paul Stastny, Kevin Shattenkirk and both goaltenders.
Still, St. Louis was one of the NHL’s top defensive teams, top puck possession teams and boasted a top-six power-play and top-three penalty kill.
Who will win: Barry Trotz – Washington Capitals
Trotz is a lock to win his first Jack Adams and he’s far from undeserving. Washington stomped the league this season, winning over 55 games with the NHL’s second-best offence, second-best defence, and top-five special teams.
They have arguably the deepest pool of talent, though, and had a clean bill of health for most of the season. Only defenders John Carlson and Brooks Orpik missed significant time due to injuries.
But that’s just nitpicking in an otherwise tremendous season from Trotz and the Capitals.
Calder Trophy (best rookie)
Who should win: Artemi Panarin – Chicago Blackhawks
An undrafted free agent signed from Russia, Panarin became the first rookie since Patrick Kane in 2008 to post over 70 points in a season. The 24-year-old had more goals (30), assists (47), points (77), and even-strength points (53) than any other first-year player.
Yes, Panarin benefited from playing with Kane, the league’s likely Hart Trophy winner, but it’s no accident that Kane also had his best season (by far) alongside Panarin.
Panarin’s age shouldn’t disqualify him either. He’s simply been the best first-year player.
Who will win: Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers
McDavid was the best rookie when he played this season, producing points at a per-game rate (1.07) that was bettered by only Kane and Jamie Benn. The only argument against McDavid, and it’s a legitimate one, is that he played in barely half the Oilers games (55 per cent) because of injury. Others, like Panarin and Buffalo’s Jack Eichel, have had to withstand a year-long grind.
The Edmonton rookie is the likely winner in a competitive field that also includes the Flyers’ Shayne Gostisbehere.
Norris Trophy (top defenceman)
Who should win: Erik Karlsson – Ottawa Senators
Karlsson became just the fourth defenceman in the last 20 years to ring up at least 80 points and the first since Nicklas Lidstrom in 2005-06. The 25-year-old accomplished the feat while playing for a middling Ottawa team in an era where there’s significantly less scoring.
The reigning Norris winner, Karlsson takes control of games like few others. His ability to skate, move the puck, and create for others are almost unmatched. Karlsson rang up 56 even-strength points, 13 points more than the next closest defenceman and more than double the total of the favourite, Drew Doughty.
Who will win: Drew Doughty – Los Angeles Kings
Doughty hasn’t won the Norris before, which seems to factor into the justification for some in handing him the award this season.
Doughty is unquestionably elite. He has top-notch puck possession numbers and makes everyone he plays with that much better. But his ability to generate offence came nowhere close to Karlsson, nor the Sharks’ Brent Burns or Penguins’ Kris Letang. The Kings defender tied for 25th among all NHL defencemen with 25 even-strength points.
The award is for best all-around defender, however, and Doughty is surely among them.
Vezina Trophy (top goaltender)
Who should win: Ben Bishop – Tampa Bay Lightning
Bishop gave up one goal or less in nearly half (26) his 59 starts this season. He was consistently excellent for the Lightning, posting a save percentage of .916 or higher in every full month this season. The 29-year-old led all starters with a .926 save percentage.
Bishop was especially good during some trying times for Tampa. No goaltender meant more to his team this season.
Who will win: Braden Holtby – Washington Capitals
Holtby matched Martin Brodeur’s record for wins in a season, compiling 48 victories for the Capitals. He played almost every night and was mostly terrific. He dipped in January and February though, and was not quite as consistently superb as either Bishop or Chicago’s Corey Crawford.
Still, he’s the best bet to capture the award in a year crowded with quality goaltending performances.
Hart Trophy (most valuable player)
Who should win: Erik Karlsson – Ottawa Senators
No player means more to his team than Karlsson, not even Kane, who enjoyed a career year, or Sidney Crosby, who was arguably the league’s best player in 2016.
Karlsson plays nearly half the game for Ottawa and is the engine that drives everything the club does. He’s the player that attracts the most attention and the player who still produces at a rate currently unparalleled at the position.
No NHL defenceman in this century has compiled the 66 assists Karlsson led the league with this season.
The quality of the team built around him should have no bearing on the weight of his individual value either. Karlsson doesn’t choose his teammates. He means more to Ottawa than Kane does to Chicago or Crosby does to Pittsburgh, and it might not be all that close.
Who will win: Patrick Kane – Chicago Blackhawks
Kane had a ridiculous start to the season, including a 26-game point streak, that will likely carry him to the Hart Trophy. He’s set career highs across the board and is an offensive dynamo alongside Panarin most nights.
Chicago is deep on talent though, and Kane might even trail Duncan Keith and Jonathan Toews in terms of value to the Blackhawks. His second half (33 points in 29 games) has been good but not great.
The allure of 46 goals and 106 points as well as a 17-point lead in the scoring race will carry him to the award.