NHL Awards Predictions: Carey Price, Patrice Bergeron Best Bets For 2015-16

The NHL finally returns Wednesday night, when players will embark on a quest to win the Stanley Cup and a large collection of individual awards.

Speaking of individual honors, let’s take a look at some NHL awards predictions for the 2015-16 campaign.

Hart Trophy (MVP): Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks
Getzlaf has been a finalist for this award in the past, but he’s never won. He’s the No. 1 center and likely leading scorer for a Ducks team that probably will win the President’s Trophy. Getzlaf also is a quality defensive player, and he makes a huge impact on the Ducks power play and penalty kill. This should be the season when his impressive all-around game is rewarded with some individual hardware.

Art Ross Trophy (leading scorer): Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Crosby has never tallied less than 84 points during a season in which he’s played 77 or more games, making him the best bet to win another scoring title as long as he’s healthy. The addition of elite goal scorer Phil Kessel, something Crosby has been lacking on his line for the last several seasons, only strengthens his case for the Art Ross.

Maurice Richard Trophy (most goals): Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Ovechkin won this trophy last season with 53 goals, 10 more than Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos in second place. He ranked fifth in even-strength goals with 28, but he really made an impact on the power play with a league-leading 25 tallies.

Fifty goals should be enough to claim this award, and the Capitals captain has reached that mark six times in the last 10 seasons.

Norris Trophy (best all-around defenseman): Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
Doughty arguably is the best defenseman in the league. He plays nearly 30 minutes per game, excels defensively against elite competition, contributes to both special teams units and drives puck possession at a high rate. Doughty has been a finalist for this award in the past, including last season, and he finally should win it in 2015-16.

Calder Trophy (top rookie): Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Did you really expect anyone else? McDavid is the most talented rookie to enter the league since Mario Lemieux, and he’s going to be surrounded by top-tier offensive players in Edmonton such as Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The No. 1 pick from the 2015 draft should tally between 65 and 80 points, which likely would be enough to secure the Calder in a unanimous vote.

Frank J. Selke Trophy (best defensive forward): Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
Bergeron has won this award in three of the last four seasons and there’s no reason to pick against him in 2015-16. The Bruins’ top center consistently ranks near or at the top of most puck possession metrics, defends the opponents’ best forwards every game, excels on the penalty kill and dominates in the faceoff circle (most faceoff wins and best faceoff win percentage last season).

Bergeron winning the Selke is the safest preseason prediction you can make.

Vezina Trophy (best goaltender): Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
Price led all goaltenders in save percentage last season and allowed two or fewer goals in 44 games. He also ranked in the top 10 in save percentage on high-danger scoring chances and won a career-high 44 games. Price is the league’s best netminder, plays for a marquee franchise and is in the prime of his career. Don’t be surprised if he becomes the first back-to-back Vezina winner since Martin Brodeur in 2008.

Jack Adams Award (best coach): Claude Julien, Boston Bruins
The Bruins are being underrated entering the new season. They made a lot of changes over the summer, but their offense should be more potent and the goaltending still is elite thanks to Tuukka Rask. There are concerns on the blue line, mostly youth and inexperience, but few, if any coaches in the league are better equipped to teach and develop defensemen than Julien. His defense-first approach and the subtle changes made to improve Boston’s breakouts should help this team return to the playoffs.

Earning a postseason berth, which would exceed a lot of experts’ expectations, could vault Julien to the top of the Jack Adams candidates list.