The NHL season is starting to pick up as teams hit the quarter mark. It’s this time of the season when teams start to notice the contenders and the non-competitive groups. There are a lot of fun storylines to watch with the way the season is shaping up, especially since multiple teams are only a few points out of a playoff spot.
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The chases or races that are developing are a subplot to the season. Sure, the teams are bunched up standings-wise but the players are putting together great seasons, and there are some fun and close awards to watch. Likewise, a handful of players are neck and neck stat-wise, so let’s look at the big ones that are already becoming fun to watch.
The Vezina Race
This season, it’s a wide-open contest. This is largely because Connor Hellebuyck, who won it in back-to-back seasons and won the Hart Trophy last season, will miss time with an injury. The superstar goaltender won’t have the same overwhelming stats to take the Vezina Trophy, and there isn’t someone in his place running away with it either.
The Vezina also has plenty of great names to choose from. Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals is leading the NHL with a 2.00 goals-against average (GAA) and is second with 8.0 goals saved above average (GSAA). Scott Wedgewood is having a strong season with the Colorado Avalanche, making him the pick as the best goaltender on the best team in the league. Then there are the rising stars like Spencer Knight of the Chicago Blackhawks and Lukas Dostal of the Anaheim Ducks.
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At the end of the day, the award race might lose some luster. This is because the general managers (GMs) vote on the award, and they value the goaltender win the most. This will limit the field to a few names but still provide a good race. Wedgewood leads the pack with 12 while Dostal is at 10, and Sergei Bobrovsky also has 10 win,s and the future Hall of Famer can add one more accolade to his resume.
The Calder Race
The New York Islanders took Matthew Schaefer with the top pick in the past draft. He not only lived up to the hype but exceeded it. Schaefer is a generational defenseman who turned the Islanders into a contender in his rookie season, nonetheless. The Calder Trophy is his to lose.
That said, there are a few players who can sneak up on him and everyone, for that matter, players who have already displayed star potential in their rookie seasons. Ivan Demidov is a standout with the Montreal Canadiens with 15 points in 20 games played. Ryan Leonard is finding his footing with the Capitals and can put himself in the conversation with a strong second half.
Last season’s Calder race was a memorable one. Macklin Celebrini, Lane Hutson, Matvei Michkov, and Dustin Wolf all made convincing arguments to win the award with Hutson winning it in the end. This season doesn’t look as exciting but it can still be tight at the end of the day.
The Rocket
The Rocket Richard is fun this time around since there are a few names that are coming out of nowhere. There are the usual suspects like Nathan MacKinnon and Leon Draisaitl with 16 and 14 goals, respectively. Then there are the surprises.
Morgan Geekie of the Boston Bruins has 16 goals, tied with MacKinnon for the most in the NHL. Bo Horvat has 14 on a resurgent Islanders team. Then there are the young stars on the rise with Connor Bedard, Celebrini, and Cole Caufield, who are all up to 13 goals.
The good thing is that most of these players will keep themselves in the conversation and won’t have a drop off (at least that’s what is anticipated). It’s oddly refreshing to see since, in recent years, someone usually runs away with it, whether it’s Draisaitl or Auston Matthews. This time it’s up for grabs, and better yet, an up-and-comer can win it.
The Young Scoring Chase
This one is specific, where it’s not who will lead the league in points but which young skater will stand out. The trio of Bedard, Celebrini, and Leo Carlsson is fun to watch, and all three players are in the NHL’s top five for points.
The future is now, and all three players are proving that. They are dominating games and helping put their rebuilding teams into the playoff conversation. It wouldn’t shock anyone if any of them edge out MacKinnon or Connor McDavid for the point title.
It’s also a chase that is for most hockey fans, from casual to intense, to follow. Bedard scored a hat trick on Tuesday night, and Celebrini followed it up with the hat trick of his own later that night. These nights will be common occurrences where Bedard goes off in Chicago and then fans must stay up late to see what Celebrini or Carlsson to later that night.
