With the NHL Awards set for June 22 in Las Vegas, the three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award — presented annually to the “Most Outstanding Player” in the NHL, as voted by fellow members of the NHLPA — were announced Friday.
This year’s nominees for the Ted Lindsay Award are Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn, Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby, and Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane.
Who is most deserving of the award? We break down each finalist.
JAMIE BENN
Jamie Benn followed up his Art Ross Trophy winning 2014-15 campaign by setting new career-highs in goals and points. The native of Victoria, B.C., finished second in scoring with 89 points and third in goals with 41.
Benn finished second in both power-play goals (17) and points (30). Benn’s 1.09 points per game average was also the league’s second best mark.
The 26-year-old captained the Dallas Stars to a first-place finish in the Central Division and the Western Conference with a 50-23-9 record. He led all Stars forwards in average time-on-ice with 20:01.
This is Benn’s second nomination for the Ted Lindsay Award.
BRADEN HOLTBY
Braden Holtby helped the Washington Capitals capture the Presidents’ Trophy for the second time in franchise history, appearing in 66 games.
Holtby set a franchise record with 48 wins, which also tied Martin Brodeur’s single-season record. The 26-year-old finished with a 2.20 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage, the NHL’s fifth and eighth best marks, respectively.
Holtby is also a finalist for the Vezina Trophy.
This is Holtby’s first nomination for the Ted Lindsay Award.
PATRICK KANE
Patrick Kane set career highs in goals (46), assists (60), and points (106) in 2015-16 en route to capturing his first Art Ross Trophy.
The native of Buffalo, N.Y., could become both the first Chicago Blackhawks player and first U.S.-born player to take home the Ted Lindsay Award.
Kane finished first among all NHL players in points-per-game (1.29) and power-play points (37). He also finished second in goals (46), tied for second in power-play goals (17), tied for second in game-winning goals (9), and totalled the league’s third highest mark in assists (60).
This is Kane’s first nomination for the Ted Lindsay Award.