This Week In NHL Numbers: Your 10-Recreation Trophy Winners

Information
As NHL groups hit the 10-game mark of the 2019-20 common season, absolutely it’s time at hand out some hardware. We have got the early winners for the Hart, Vezina, Norris, Calder and extra.John Carlson (center) celebrates a aim along with his Washington Capitals teammates.|Getty ImagesAs NHL groups hit the 10-game mark of the 2019-20 common season, absolutely it’s time at hand out some hardware. Listed below are the too-early trophy winners on your consideration:
Artwork Ross Trophy: John Carlson, WashingtonEven when you’re somebody who expects the sudden, you didn’t see this one coming. Carlson, Washington’s linchpin defenseman with the large shot from the blueline, is the league’s main scorer with 21 factors. Granted, the Capitals have performed a league-high 13 video games which provides him a little bit of an unfair benefit in a narrative about “10-game” trophy winners. However hockey, like life, isn’t all the time honest. So right here we’re, and let’s give credit score the place credit score’s due. The one different defenseman to guide the NHL in scoring this late within the season was Bobby Orr. The Bruins legend can be the one defenseman to guide the NHL in scoring on the finish of the season, doing so twice, in 1969-70 (120 factors) and 1974-75 (135 factors). Carlson isn’t Bobby Orr. He’s not going to finish up with 100-plus factors and he’s not going to be the NHL scoring chief when April rolls round. However he’s doing a reasonably good No. four impression thus far, and he’s on observe to put up a career-best season in factors for the third 12 months after 68 factors in 2017-18 and 70 final season.
Rocket Richard Trophy: David Pastrnak, Boston This one, you may need seen coming. Pastrnak tied for 14th within the league in objectives final season, however with 38 in 66 video games, his Zero.58 goals-per-game fee ranked fourth total, only a fraction behind leaders Alex Ovechkin (Zero.63), Leon Draisaitl (Zero.61) and (shock!) Viktor Arvidsson (Zero.59). This season, Pastrnak is lighting it up with 10 objectives in 9 video games. Enjoyable truth: his 1.11 goals-per-game fee places him on tempo for 91 objectives this season, which might be one lower than Wayne Gretzky’s all-time single-season mark of 92. Clearly that’s going to occur, however Pastrnak is poised for (one other) breakout season and will very effectively finish stealing Ovechkin’s goal-scoring crown. Already enjoying in his sixth NHL season, it’s straightforward to neglect that Pastrnak remains to be simply 23 years previous and his finest days are forward of him. That’s a scary thought when you’re a goalie.
Hart Trophy: Connor McDavid, EdmontonIt was very tempting to go together with McDavid’s working mate Draisaitl, however who’re we kidding? The Oilers are profitable and McDavid is the principle man. It’s shut, although. Each gamers are enjoying greater than 23 minutes a recreation – Draisaitl is averaging practically 24 minutes – and so they sit second and third in league scoring behind Carlson. McDavid leads the NHL in power-play factors (9) and he’s tied for the league lead with a number of different gamers with two game-winning objectives. By means of 11 video games, he’s had a five-point recreation, a four-point recreation and 6 multi-point video games. He’s on tempo for 150 factors. He in all probability received’t get there – however it wouldn’t be a shocker if he did, both.
Norris Trophy: John Carlson, WashingtonWhen you’re drawing Bobby Orr comparisons, you get the Norris Trophy.
Vezina Trophy: Pekka Rinne, NashvilleWell, effectively, effectively…look who we have now right here. Rinne, the soon-to-be 37-year-old Predators netminder, has had his share of playoff bumps over the previous few years, however he continues to be dominant within the common season. Rinne hits the arbitrary 10-game mark with a 6-Zero-1 document, 1.98 goals-against common and .931 save proportion. Nashville’s dedication to protection is well-documented and so they’re one of many highest-scoring groups within the league this season, averaging greater than 4 objectives per recreation. So, you may assume Rinne has it straightforward. However you then take a look at Nashville’s incumbent backup/starter-in-waiting Juuse Saros, who’s Zero-Three-Zero with a four.75 GAA and .853 save proportion, and also you notice Rinne nonetheless brings one thing to the desk. Can he hold it going and declare his second profession Vezina Trophy? It’s inside the realm of risk, although the Preds will need him recent for the post-season so 55-60 video games appears like his ceiling.
Calder Trophy: Ilya Mikheyev, TorontoBuffalo’s Victor Olofsson is main the rookie scoring race with six objectives and 10 factors in 12 video games, however all of his objectives and 9 of his 10 factors have come on the ability play. Mikheyev, in the meantime, has 4 objectives and 9 factors, none of which have come on the ability play. Plus, he’s rising as a two-way power and he’s already earned coach Mike Babcock’s belief sufficient to turn out to be a mainstay on the penalty kill, along with his 2:32 of PK ice time per recreation main all rookies. Can the 25-year-old KHL veteran maintain off the likes of Olofsson, Cale Makar, Jack and Quinn Hughes, Kaapo Kakko and take residence the Calder? Nicely, Mikheyev was a query mark for the Leafs initially of the season and now he’s trying like a solution. Don’t depend him out.
Selke Trophy: Patrice Bergeron, BostonIt feels a bit early to be handing out the Selke, so let’s have four-time winner Bergeron maintain on to it for now.
Girl Byng Award: Nathan MacKinnon, ColoradoRemember how they used to present Mike Bossy the Girl Byng on a regular basis as a result of Gretzky was all the time profitable the scoring title and MVP? It’s going to be powerful – however definitely not not possible – for MacKinnon to outdo McDavid for the Artwork Ross and Hart, so he will get the 10-game Byng as comfort. 5 objectives, 14 factors, zero penalty minutes.
Jack Adams Award: Dave Tippett, EdmontonKudos to Ralph Krueger in Buffalo and Jared Bednar in Colorado, however Tippett has guided the Oilers – the Oilers – to the highest of the Western Convention on the power of an Eight-2-1 begin. Edmonton has needed to come from behind in nearly each victory, however a win’s a win and the Oilers are popping out on high in video games they absolutely would’ve squandered in previous seasons. Tippett’s calling card is protection and he has the Oilers – the Oilers – among the many NHL’s finest groups in objectives towards. We all know Edmonton’s going to attain. If they will play Tippett-style protection, they’re going to attain within the playoffs, too.
Tags: nhlConnect: In regards to the AuthorSam McCaigCopy editor Sam McCaig rejoined The Hockey Information in 2017 after beforehand working at THN from 1999 to 2010. His profession excessive for objectives in a season is one.