While the NHL will hand out its share of awards at the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs, Sportsnet’s NHL web team decided to hand out some awards of our own.
Most Exciting Player of the Year
Winner: Vladimir Tarasenko, Right Wing, St. Louis Blues
Tarasenko was one of the true breakout stars of the 2014-15 campaign, and no one had as many highlight-reel plays as the 23-year-old Russian. To get a sense of what he is capable of, just sit back and watch some samples of his work including when he sliced through the New York Rangers like a hot knife through butter.
“It’s the stuff that dreams are made of.” – Humphrey Bogart if he were to see this goal against Cory Schneider and the New Jersey Devils.
More than any other team, the Dallas Stars felt Tarasenko’s wrath this season. In four games against Lindy Ruff’s squad, the 16th-overall pick from the 2010 NHL Draft had five goals including this incredible hat trick.
Regular hat tricks are impressive, but Gordie Howe hat tricks do wonders for your street cred and Tarasenko earned his first NHL one against the Nashville Predators.
Tarasenko might be the closest comparison to Pavel Datsyuk we’ve got in the game today — at least in the offensive zone. Just look at his hand-eye coordination and ability to wire the puck home with the best of them.
He, along with the help of Blues teammate Brian Elliott, were even entertaining during all-star weekend.
The 2014 Russian Olympian was also the benefactor of having great teammates like Jaden Schwartz who can feed him beauty passes like this.
For all these reasons, Vladimir Tarasenko is our Most Exciting Player of the Year.
Most Exciting Player of the Year Runners-up
Alex Ovechkin, Left Wing, Washington Capitals
Since he broke into the league and our hearts in 2005, there hasn’t been any player quite like “The Great 8”. The 2014-15 season saw Ovi lead the NHL in goals yet again and become the sixth player in NHL history with at least six 50-plus goal seasons.
He also became the Capitals’ all-time leading goal scorer and did so in style when he turned P.K. Subban around and sniped one by Carey Price.
Johnny Gaudreau, Left Wing, Calgary Flames
Johnny Hockey lived up to the hype surrounding him coming out of college in a terrific rookie season. Despite the fact he’s smaller than most junior players, Gaudreau showed he can dangle, battle and score with the best at the NHL level.
Devan Dubnyk, Goaltender, Minnesota Wild
Who didn’t enjoy this storyline? Sure, Andrew Hammond might have received more headlines, but watching Dubnyk turn the Wild’s season around in a whopping 39 consecutive starts was damn exciting — so were many of his saves.