With the 2021-22 NHL Season almost all wrapped up, the awards for the season were announced. Here are the NHL awards results.
Art Ross Trophy (Awarded to the player who leads the league in total points at the end of the regular season): Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid takes home his 4th Art Ross Trophy after a 123 point campaign where he scored 44 goals and had 79 assists. The race for the Art Ross was back and forth all year but McDavid ran away with the trophy at the end of the year, surpassing Johnathan Huberdeau and Johnny Gaudreau by eight points.
Hart Trophy (Awarded to the player judged most valuable to his team): Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
After leading the league with 60 goals and leading his team to the fourth-best record in the entire league, Auston Matthews is awarded the league’s MVP. Matthews is truly deserving of his first Hart Trophy as not only was he a goal scoring machine, but he was elite defensively, finishing 3rd in Selke voting.
Calder Memorial Trophy (Awarded to the league’s most outstanding rookie player): Moritz Seider, RD, Detroit Red Wings
When he was drafted 6th overall in 2019, Moritz Seider was a very controversial pick but 3 years later, he was crowned as the best rookie player. The German-born defenseman produced 50 points in his first NHL season and is developing to be the Red Wings #1 defenseman for years to come.
Frank J. Selke Trophy (Awarded to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game): Patrice Bergeron, C, Boston Bruins
Should be called the Patrice Bergeron Trophy at this point? Bergeron takes home his record-breaking 5th Selke Trophy for being the league’s best defensive forward. For over the past decade, Bergeron has been playing at a high offensive level while being exceptional defensively.
Vezina Trophy (Awarded to the league’s top goaltender): Igor Shesterkin, G, New York Rangers
Igor Shesterkin easily earned his first Vezina Trophy by single-handedly carried the New York Rangers to the Eastern Conference Finals. Shesterkin had an impressive 36-13-4 record with 2.07 GAA and .935 SV%, which is comparable to Carey Price’s incredible Hart and Vezina winning 2015 season.
James Norris Memorial Trophy (Awarded to the defenseman who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position): Cale Makar, RD, Colorado Avalanche
The Norris Trophy was down to the wire between Cale Makar and Roman Josi. But based on their two-way play, Makar was awarded his first Norris Trophy. Makar was a beast this year, putting up 86 points in 77 games while being a +48. Makar will definitely be in contention for more Norris Trophies as his young career progresses.
Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy (Awarded to the top goal scorer in the regular season): Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
Auston Matthews earns back-to-back “Rockets” as the league’s top goal scorer with 60 goals. Matthews scored five more goals than second-place Leon Draisaitl, but when adjusting the totals for 82 games, Matthews was on pace for 67 goals, which would have been the most in the trophy’s existence.
Ted Lindsay Award (Awarded to the NHL’s outstanding player as selected by the members of the NHLPA): Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
After winning the Hart Trophy and Maurice Richard Trophy, there was no doubt Matthews would also take the Ted Lindsay Award awarded to the most outstanding player voted by the NHLPA. Matthews was dominant offensively and defensively this year which makes Matthews the clear winner.