The NHLPA has announced that Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid are the finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award.
The Ted Lindsay Award is presented annually “to the most outstanding player in the NHL” as voted by fellow members of the NHLPA.
Crosby is a finalist for the Ted Lindsay for the sixth time in the past 15 seasons. He led the East Division-winning Penguins in goals (24) and points (62) while placing 10th in league scoring. If he wins, Crosby will become just the third player to win the Ted Lindsay four times, joining Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky.
Matthews is a finalist for the Ted Lindsay for the first time in his career after winning the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal scorer. Matthews' 41 goals were eight more than the next closest player and made him the first Maple Leafs player in 75 years to lead the NHL in goals. If Matthews wins the Ted Lindsay, he will be the first Maple Leafs player to do so and the second American-born winner after Patrick Kane.
McDavid is vying for his third Ted Lindsay award in only his sixth season in the league. McDavid won his third Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer, collecting 105 points in 56 games, which was 21 more than the next highest scorer. McDavid led the NHL with 72 assists, a 1.88 points-per-game scoring rate and 68 even-strength points. If he wins, he'll become the seventh player to win the Ted Lindsay three times, joining Crosby, Gretzky, Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Jaromir Jagr and Alex Ovechkin.
The 2020-21 season will mark the 50th year the Ted Lindsay Award has been presented to a player.
