The NHL’s most prestigious individual honors remain up for grabs as the league enters playoff season, with Associated Press hockey experts weighing in on the top contenders across all major categories.
The Hart Memorial Trophy for Most Valuable Player presents another year without a runaway favorite, marking three consecutive seasons where the award race has remained competitive until the final weeks. Connor McDavid of Edmonton appears poised to capture the scoring title and Art Ross Trophy for most points, while Nathan MacKinnon from Colorado leads the goal-scoring race. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov has separated himself from teammates by more than 40 points and could earn his second straight Hart Trophy nomination.
AP Hockey Writers John Wawrow and Stephen Whyno offered their expert analysis on award winners across six categories:
Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP)
BetMGM Sportsbook favorite: Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado
Wawrow selected Nikita Kucherov, explaining: “As much as McDavid and MacKinnon deserve consideration, and maybe Montreal’s Nick Suzuki merits mention, Kucherov did more with less on a Tampa Bay team that proved immune to the shakeup that turned the Atlantic Division upside down.”
Whyno chose McDavid, stating: “There’s an argument to be made for Kucherov, given where the Lightning could be without him after a season full of injuries. But McDavid carried the Oilers down the stretch after Leon Draisaitl got injured, and he should add a fourth MVP honor to his impressive resume that is missing only the Stanley Cup.”
Vezina Trophy (Top Goaltender)
BetMGM Sportsbook favorite: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay
Both writers agreed on Vasilevskiy for the goaltending award.
Wawrow noted: “The numbers simply speak for themselves. Leading the league with 38 wins entering the final week, no goalie had a better goals-against average and save percentage playing 50 or more games this season.”
Whyno added: “John and I are on the same wavelength here. With a nod to Utah’s Karel Vejmelka for making more than 60 starts, no one has mixed a heavy workload with quality of play like Vasilevskiy, who has made the Cup Final four times, won it twice, but only won the Vezina once (2019).”
James Norris Memorial Trophy (Top Defenseman)
BetMGM Sportsbook favorite: Zach Werenski, Columbus
The writers split on this category, with Wawrow backing Cale Makar of Colorado: “If the Blue Jackets make the playoffs, a case could be made for Werenski over a ton of talent such as Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin and Minnesota’s Quinn Hughes. Makar, however, stands out for once again being the NHL’s most complete defenseman.”
Whyno supported Werenski: “The Blue Jackets leaned heavily on the 28-year-old, who skated over 26 minutes per night. Werenski produced at better than a point-a-game level and does everything well on the defensive end as well.”
Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year)
BetMGM Sportsbook favorite: Matthew Schaefer, New York Islanders
Both experts agreed on Schaefer for rookie honors.
Wawrow explained: “Montreal’s Ivan Demidov and Anaheim’s Beckett Sennecke might have more points, but no rookie played more valuable minutes than Schaefer, justifying his selection as a No. 1 pick.”
Whyno emphasized the unanimous nature of the choice: “Schaefer could be unanimous. Even some of the best defensemen of this generation needed years to adapt to the learning curve at the position, and Schaefer did it perfectly at 18.”
Frank J. Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward)
The writers disagreed on defensive forward honors, with Wawrow choosing Nick Suzuki of Montreal: “With Aleksander Barkov injured, the field was wide open and Suzuki may run away with the honor. Though he is a secondary figure on the Canadiens’ penalty kill, his 5-on-5 numbers and puck-possession metrics, while facing opposing top lines, are solid.”
Whyno selected Jordan Staal of Carolina: “The team captain has consistently drawn tough defensive matchups and dominated on faceoffs and has only once been a Selke finalist. This should be his year.”
Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year)
BetMGM Sportsbook favorite: Lindy Ruff, Buffalo
Another split decision saw Wawrow backing Ruff: “He found the elusive key to finally unlock the potential of a team that too often faltered under pressure, carrying over the lessons learned from his first season back in Buffalo. He did so with a game-at-a-time focus, a changing lineup and being Buffalo’s first coach during the team’s 14-season playoff drought to finally place an emphasis on improving locker room culture.”
Whyno chose Jon Cooper of Tampa Bay: “Injuries and extended absences to key players, including Victor Hedman, Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli and Ryan McDonagh, led the Lightning to dress 33 skaters and three goalies and showcased why Cooper is considered among the best in the business.”
