NHL awards preview for the 2021-22 season

McDavid goes to be on the high of this checklist each season for in all probability the subsequent decade. He’s coming off an unbelievable 2020-21 season that noticed him high 100 factors in a 56 recreation season and he’s going to be the front-runner to win one other scoring title. He’s coming into his age 25 season which is mostly when offensive gamers actually hit their peak manufacturing. So count on an enormous 12 months from him and one other top-3 end within the Hart Trophy voting. 

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The Avalanche are nonetheless among the finest groups within the league and MacKinnon is likely one of the three greatest gamers on this planet. That makes him a simple contender. He has been a finalist in three of the previous 4 years and barring an harm he must be proper there within the dialogue once more. The massive query is whether or not or not the Avalanche can break by the Second Spherical ceiling within the playoffs and get the Stanley Cup. 

Right here is an attention-grabbing participant to look at. The Panthers are coming into this season with main expectations and will have a crew able to competing for the Stanley Cup. Barkov is their greatest participant and among the finest two-way gamers within the league, mixing elite offense and shutdown protection. If the Panthers attain their potential (they need to) and Barkov carries the identical load he has in current seasons (no cause to consider he is not going to) he’s going to be in that dialogue all 12 months. 

Matthews is the league’s reigning goal-scoring champion, and as Alex Ovechkin begins to decelerate just a bit he ought to proceed to take over that crown. That routinely places him within the MVP dialogue, particularly if the Maple Leafs proceed to be a playoff crew (as they need to). However the focus in Toronto proper now shouldn’t be on goal-scoring crowns or just making the playoffs, it’s really successful within the playoffs. 

Hate him all you need however Marchand is likely one of the league’s greatest gamers and a official MVP candidate each season. That’s what makes his different shenanigans so annoying — he doesn’t must resort to that stuff to be efficient. Both manner, Marchand is an elite scorer, an amazing defender, and one of the crucial harmful penalty killers within the league. He impacts each recreation in each state of affairs and in all three zones. 

There’s going to come back a time within the very close to future the place Makar is one of the best participant on the Avalanche (sure, higher than MacKinnon). We may be attending to that time. Makar has solely performed two full seasons within the league and is already on an elite degree the place he can management the sport with ease. The Norris Trophy is in his future. Possibly a number of instances. One of many rising superstars within the NHL. 

The reigning Norris Trophy winner, Fox is a part of that wave of defenders that features Makar and Quinn Hughes which might be beginning to take over the league. He has rapidly grow to be one of the best and most impactful of New York’s younger expertise and goes to be a franchise constructing block for years to come back. An all conditions defenseman that may be the focus of a contending crew. 

Hedman is beginning to decelerate a bit of bit, however he stays a top-tier expertise and defender. He additionally nonetheless has a reputation that carries a ton of clout in these discussions and is at all times going to be a contender based mostly on repute. Nonetheless, that standing shouldn’t be unwarranted. He’s one of the best all-around defenseman of his period and continues to be among the finest gamers on this planet at his place. 

The Predators won’t have many vibrant spots this season however Josi figures to be one in every of them. He is only one 12 months faraway from successful the Norris Trophy and continues to be one of the crucial productive defenders in all the NHL. With Ryan Ellis gone he figures to tackle much more significance this season as one of many few remaining influence gamers on the Nashville roster. 

McAvoy has rapidly blossomed into one of many NHL’s high gamers and is the chief of Boston’s blue line. There are a number of defensemen that may put up larger level totals and rating extra targets, however few gamers are capable of management the sport in all phases the best way McAvoy can. He was fifth within the Norris voting a 12 months in the past and figures to be a mainstay within the dialogue yearly. 

Vasilevskiy is a finalist yearly now and is arguably one of the best goalie in hockey. That’s nearly unfair given the crew he performs on, and it makes the Lightning an nearly unstoppable drive. However for pretty much as good because the Lightning roster is total Vasilevskiy actually is the game-changer right here as they really have a shedding report (13-14-5) the previous two seasons when he isn’t the goalie of report. 

Hellebuyck has grow to be one of many NHL’s greatest goalies and the Jets’ most beneficial gamers. He has helped masks an undermanned protection the previous couple of seasons and saved them extra aggressive than anyone anticipated them to be. He’s a real game-changer at a very powerful place on the ice. The Jets gave him a bit of little bit of assist this offseason and bolstered their protection a bit of and will solely enhance his total play. He already has one Vezina Trophy on his resume and will positively win one other in his profession.

Saros took over Nashville’s web on a full-time foundation this previous season and had a sensational efficiency that noticed him nearly single-handedly drag the Predators to the playoffs. Can he try this once more over a full 82-game season? That continues to be to be seen, but when he does he will definitely end larger than seventh within the Vezina voting. Given Nashville’s offseason modifications it’s going to want one other big 12 months from him. 

You just about have to incorporate the reigning winner, proper? Fleury is enjoying a number of the greatest hockey of his profession the previous couple of years and he was sensational in the course of the 2020-21 season. Now he strikes onto Chicago the place he might be attempting to assist the Blackhawks return again to relevance. In the event that they do make the playoffs they’ll want an enormous 12 months from Fleury given the state of their protection, and if he has that kind of 12 months you’ll be able to wager will probably be a Vezina caliber season.

The Rangers didn’t have to attend lengthy to search out one other franchise goalie to interchange Henrik Lundqvist. Shesterkin could not have an enormous physique of labor to guage up to now, however what we’ve got seen has been improbable. The strain is on for the Rangers to take a step ahead this season and get again to the playoffs and having a doubtlessly top-tier goalie like Shesterkin will assist them get again. 

He is likely one of the causes for pleasure in Montreal this season. We solely obtained a short glimpse of Caufield final 12 months within the playoffs and he was persistently one of the crucial thrilling gamers on the ice. He has an opportunity to be a top-line objective scorer and goes to be one of many early favorites for the Calder Trophy this season, if not the highest favourite. 

Knight is the highest goalie prospect within the league and one of many high prospects total. With the Sergei Bobrovsky expertise not figuring out as deliberate in Florida, and Chris Driedger shifting on to Seattle within the enlargement draft, Knight goes to get a possibility to play an enormous function on a Stanley Cup contender. If he lives as much as his potential this season and helps the Panthers make an enormous leap of their growth he’s a no brainer for this dialogue. 

The Purple Wings confronted a number of criticism once they drafted Seider with the No. 6 total choose a few years in the past however no person is questioning it now. Seider is likely one of the high defensive prospects in hockey and is coming off of an enormous 12 months in Sweden the place he was the highest defenseman within the league. He’s the kind of protection prospect that, if he reaches his potential, will help change a franchise. 

The Kings have one of the crucial gifted farm techniques in hockey and Byfield is the highest prospect within the group. He’s going to get an opportunity to play behind Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault to present the Kings some excellent heart depth and maybe assist make them a sleeper playoff crew in a weak Pacific Division. 

Yearly the Canucks appear to have one other Calder Trophy candidate arrive on their roster. Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, and now Podkolzin. He is a gigantic expertise and will assist the Canucks enhance their ahead depth. He’s a extremely expert participant that must be an important addition to their younger core. The Canucks have been patiently ready for him to reach, and the way he’s right here. 

Quenneville is likely one of the league’s high coaches and is behind the bench of a Panthers crew that has an opportunity to be a Stanley Cup contender. Given Quenneville’s success and repute, in addition to the very fact he has been teaching for greater than 20 years, it’s beautiful he has solely ever gained this award as soon as in his profession. He must be in rivalry this season. 

Cooper has the drawback of teaching the league’s greatest crew, and if we all know something about Calder Trophy voting we all know it goes to a coach of a crew that exceeds expectations and has a scorching goalie. However Cooper is the league’s greatest coach and has his crew ready to win a 3rd consecutive Stanley Cup. He might be within the working. 

There was a robust argument for him to win this award a 12 months in the past given the Penguins’ harm state of affairs and the very fact they gained the East Division. Nicely, he’s beginning this season with out Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin within the lineup attributable to offseason surgical procedures. He will get them again within the playoffs with that harm state of affairs and a flawed roster he ought to get some main consideration right here. 

Now right here is the kind of coach that wins the Calder Trophy: Group that has missed the playoffs lately, enters the season with low expectations, after which in some way makes the playoffs. The Kings play in a division the place there’s in all probability just one slam dunk playoff crew and a bunch of mediocre/rebuilding groups round them. They made some huge roster enhancements this offseason and have an opportunity to sneak up on some individuals with an important farm system. 

Gallant is arriving in New York tasked with dashing up the Rangers’ rebuild. Administration needs this crew within the playoffs, and in the event that they get there this season will probably be arduous to disregard the narrative of the teaching change influence. Gallant is a profitable coach with a current monitor report of success and he’s taking over a crew with an MVP candidate (Artemi Panarin), a Norris Trophy winner (Fox), and a number of other excessive draft picks simply ready to interrupt out.