It is once again that time of year when I remind of you something shocking. It’s something you may not believe, because it’s so unbelievable that it’s very hard to believe.
As a PHWA (Professional Hockey Writers Association) member, I have a ballot that helps decide which NHL players win awards.
It’s true! Here’s my ballot from last year. It counted and everything.
With only a few days remaining in the regular season, there’s nothing left to be decided. I’m good. I’ve got my picks. So here’s my ballot with some rationale behind some of the picks. Feel free to copy and paste this ballot if you are a fellow PHWA member, so we don’t screw up again like we did with the Norris Trophy last year.
Masterton Trophy
What is it: It is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.
My ballot:
- Craig Anderson, Ottawa Senators
- Derek Ryan, Carolina Hurricanes
- Matt Irwin, Nashville Predators
My reasoning: I hate voting on this award. It always feels like you’re measuring tragedy or parsing which player overcame the more life- or career-threatening injury. I think everyone should get a team award and that’s the end of it. I don’t like determining if a story about overcoming alcoholism is more worthy of an award than recovering from a brain injury.
But Anderson is probably going to be a unanimous winner, as it should be. He has missed time this year as his wife, Nicholle, fights cancer. She wants him to play, so he’s playing, and that’s pretty much the definition of perseverance and dedication to hockey. And I’m talking about her, not him. I’d give her the award if that were allowed.
Calder Trophy
What is it: It’s the rookie of the year. Because of the Masterton, we have to explain all the awards so it’s a uniform post.
My ballot:
- Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets
- Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
- William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
My reasoning: Matthews has been a little better than Laine. Yeah, Laine is averaging more points per game, but if it’s silly to award trophies based on total points, it’s even sillier to assume someone is better because they average 0.03 more points per game over a season.
Matthews has 39 goals and he’s probably going to get to 40. I value the center position more than a wing. If you voted for Laine, I get it, but I think Matthews has had the slightly better season.
It’s such a ridiculous year for rookies. I look forward to seeing them on the Olympic stage in the future — oh right, never mind.
Norris Trophy
What is it: It’s for the league’s best defenseman, named after the great Norris Bumgarner, who founded Nova Scotia in 1593.
My ballot:
- Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks
- Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
- Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
- Seth Jones, Columbus Blue Jackets
https://youtu.be/V1AEYidT6go
My reasoning: I feel really badly about having Karlsson second on my ballot after he got screwed last year. The tendency in this league is to do things in the present that make up for mistakes in the past, like paying a bunch of money for Ilya Bryzgalov because a lack of goaltending cost you a Stanley Cup a year or two earlier. But Burns has been too good.
There just isn’t a metric where Burns hasn’t knocked it out of the park. He’s having a virtually identical season to Karlsson’s season last year, and Doughty is having a virtually identical season to the one he had last year, yet for some reason, Burns is going to run away with this.
I don’t get it either. That’s just the way it is. I guess it’s just too bad Karlsson wasn’t born in Ontario and doesn’t have a big bushy beard. Tough break for the Swede.
Selke Trophy
What is it: It goes to the NHL’s best defensive forward and is named for the famous explorer Thomas Selke, who killed the last living dragon on North American soil in 1219.
My ballot:
- Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
- Jordan Staal, Carolina Hurricanes
- Michael Backlund, Calgary Flames
- Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators
- John Tavares, New York Islanders
https://youtu.be/uP7IqWpOmLA
My reasoning: Look, Bergeron is the best at this. I don’t know how he didn’t win last year. The other guys on this list have had really good years as two-way forwards, but this award should probably go to Bergeron every year and we leave it up to him to decide if he wants to give it to someone else.
Lady Byng Trophy
What is it: Nobody really knows for sure, but it’s listed as an award that goes to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability, whatever that means.
My ballot:
- Loui Eriksson, Vancouver Canucks
- Andy Greene, New Jersey Devils
- Matt Moulson, Buffalo Sabres
- Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames
- Jason Pominville, Minnesota Wild
https://youtu.be/AGBkDxD8BPM
My reasoning: I don’t know. Loui is a nice guy, tries hard, loves the game. I wish we as an association just handed out our version of the Vezina and Jack Adams, instead of trying to decide which player we don’t know on a personal level is a gentleman.
Hart Trophy
What is it: It’s the MVP, named after wrestler Bret “The Hitman” Hart.
My ballot:
- Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
- Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
- Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
- Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
https://youtu.be/o1ghlC_B1f4
My reasoning: If McDavid didn’t exist, this would be the most difficult Hart vote in the history of the league. (I mean, I guess.) But he does, so it’s not. McDavid hasn’t single-handedly carried the Oilers (Cam Talbot and Leon Draisait have done their fair share of lifting), but he’s the biggest reason the Oilers are going to the playoffs for the first time in a decade. The Oilers are a completely different team when he is on the ice. This turned out to be an easy decision.
As for spots 2-5, it’s wide-open. Kucherov has kept the Lightning from drowning without Steven Stamkos or any semblance of goaltending. Karlsson has done similar work in Ottawa. Crosby is having his best season in forever, but the Penguins are so loaded that “value” can be debated. However, I’d be fine if you had him right behind McDavid. Marchand has a rat reputation so he may not be as high on other ballots, but he’s done great work keeping Boston afloat.
You can also make a case for Nicklas Backstrom. And Sergei Bobrovsky. And Burns. And Patrick Kane. And Auston Matthews.
But it’s McDavid’s award. It’s too bad he’s not old enough to hit the tables in Las Vegas with the Hart Trophy after he wins it. That’d be a power move at the blackjack table. “I’m going to play two spots. This one… and the one in front of my Hart Trophy.”
Also, my Vezina winner is Bobrovsky and coach of the year is Mike Babcock. Feel free to copy my notes, general managers and broadcasters.
How does one become a PHWA member?