The story of the NHL season so far, besides inexplicably bizarre off-ice injuries, has been the incredible performances from hockey’s next wave of stars.
Players like Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson and Matthew Schaefer are populating nightly highlight reels and leading their teams into unexpected playoff contention. Could flirtation with the postseason lead to postseason hardware for these young standouts? Or are the NHL awards still on lock for the league’s established stars, like the ones leading the Colorado Avalanche to an historic start in the standings?
Welcome to the NHL Awards Watch for December. We’ve polled a wide selection of Professional Hockey Writers Association voters anonymously to get a sense of where the wind is blowing for the current leaders. We’ve made sure it’s a cross section from the entire league, trying to gain as many perspectives as possible.
Keep in mind that the PHWA votes for the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng finalists, broadcasters vote for the Jack Adams and general managers handle the Vezina.
All stats are from Hockey-Reference.com, Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.
Jump ahead:br/>Ross | Richard | Hartbr/>Norris | Selke | Vezinabr/>Calder | Byng | Adams
Art Ross Trophy (points leader)
Click here for the updated point-scoring standings.
Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy
Click here for the updated goal-scoring standings.
Hart Trophy (MVP)
The Avalanche are in the midst of one of the greatest starts to a season in NHL history. Through 26 games, they’re 19-1-6 for a .846 points percentage. For context, the Boston Bruins had a .823 points percentage in 2022-23, when they amassed an NHL-record 135 points and 38 wins. They opened that season 20-3-0. Colorado went 17-1-5 in that span.
The primary reason Colorado sits upon the throne this season with a plus-50 (!) goal differential is MacKinnon, the NHL’s leader through 26 games in goals (22), points (46) and plus/minus (plus-32). Heading into Wednesday night, MacKinnon had more even-strength points (35) than all but six players had total points this season.
MacKinnon earned 82% of the first-place votes after earning 10% of the votes last month.