We’ve reached the final week of the NHL’s regular season, and in addition to the playoff races heating up, the battle for the league’s major individual awards also is intensifying.
Here’s the NESN.com 2016 NHL Awards Tracker, Vol. 3:
Hart Trophy
1. Patrick Kane, RW, Chicago Blackhawks
2. Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Patrice Bergeron, C, Boston Bruins; Joe Thornton, C, San Jose Sharks
Kane wrapped up the Hart Trophy race with a four-point game, including a hat trick, in a 6-4 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday. He now has 100 points (43 goals, 57 assists) to lead the league in scoring and put himself in a fantastic position to become the first American winner of the Art Ross Trophy.
The veteran winger also has been very consistent. He has tallied more than 10 points in five of six months this season and his longest scoring drought is just three games, which has happened only once.
Kane has given the Blackhawks a jolt of offense after the offseason departures of top-six forwards Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp.
James Norris Trophy
1. Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
2. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
3. Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks
Karlsson still is the favorite for the Norris, and don’t expect that to change. The Senators captain ranks fourth among all players in scoring and is on pace to become the first defenseman to lead the league in assists since Bobby Orr in 1974-75. Karlsson also is just one of seven players averaging a point or more per game.
Yahoo! Sports Puck Daddy blog editor Greg Wyshynski summed up Karlsson’s case for the Norris with this tweet.
Check previous editions of Awards Tracker for more on Karlsson.
Frank J. Selke Trophy
1. Patrice Bergeron, C, Boston Bruins
2. Anze Kopitar, C, Los Angeles Kings
3. Sean Couturier, C, Philadelphia Flyers
Bergeron is having an MVP-caliber season, and his defense and ability to drive puck possession are among the primary reasons for that.
The Bruins have a 5-on-5 Corsi percentage of 55.44 when Bergeron is on the ice, and that number plummets to 47.3 when he comes off the ice. The difference of 8.41 percent is the second-highest for any one player. Basically, Bergeron hopping over the boards takes the Bruins from 25th in puck possession to the second-best (just below the L.A. Kings).
Bergeron’s goals-for percentage is insane this year as well. SB Nation’s Chris Abraham provided this stat Monday.
If this wasn’t impressive enough, Bergeron is piling up these amazing stats despite facing the fifth-toughest competition in the league among forwards (measured by Corsi Rel QoC) and starting just 43.2 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the attacking zone (lowest among B’s forwards).
Vezina Trophy
1. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
2. Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks
3. Cory Schneider, New Jersey Devils
Crawford and Schneider getting injured, in addition to Braden Holtby struggling since January, have given Lundqvist a clear path to the Vezina. In fairness, the Rangers goalie’s case would’ve been strong enough for consideration even if those injuries didn’t occur.
Lundqvist’s .937 adjusted save percentage during 5-on-5 play is the third-highest in the league and he remains the leader in high-danger saves made at even strength. The Swedish netminder also routinely bails out a team that ranks 26th in puck possession at even strength.
Calder Trophy
1. Artemi Panarin, LW, Chicago Blackhawks
2. Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
3. Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Philadelphia Flyers
Panarin also locked up his award Sunday against the Bruins with a goal and an assist, bringing his scoring total to 72 points in 77 games. He leads all rookies with 28 goals and 44 assists and ranks second with a 0.94 points per game average. Panarin actually has eight points in his last two games, and recency bias tends to play a role in Calder voting.
Jack Adams Trophy
1. Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Gerrard Gallant, Florida Panthers
3. Bruce Boudreau, Anaheim Ducks
The Penguins have Eastern Conference’s best record since New Year’s Day and Pittsburgh now own the second-best record in the conference overall.
Sullivan replaced Mike Johnston and implemented a faster-paced system that gets the puck from the defensemen to the forwards quicker and allows the forwards to leave the defensive zone a bit earlier than before. His practices also have been more regimented and effective.
Pittsburgh is a legit Stanley Cup contender and the difference between this team pre-Sullivan and after his hiring is night and day.
Thumbnail photo via Rob Grabowski/USA TODAY Sports Images
