NHL 24's latest Team of the Week features six of the 2023-24 NHL award winners, including the Rocket Richard and Selke winners, Auston Matthews and Aleksander Barkov
The NHL has already announced the winners for a number of their awards for the 2023-24 season. In honor of some of these award winners, NHL 24 has given them a max-rated 99 overall card in their latest Team of the Week in Hockey Ultimate Team.
Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs franchise centerman had a season that will be remembered for a long time. Auston Matthews’ chase of 70 goals captivated the entire hockey world, and although he came one goal short, he took home his second Rocket Richard Trophy within the last three years.
Matthews also was a finalist for the Selke and Lady Byng Trophies and will find out on June 27 if he has won the Ted Lindsay Award.
As expected, EA Sports gave Matthews’ new card the abilities that improve a player's shot and scoring ability in the game — One Tee (zone ability), Shock and Awe, Make it Snappy, and Shnipe.
Frank J. Selke Trophy
Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
The Selke Trophy is awarded to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game. Really, they should rename it the Patrice Bergeron trophy considering how many times the Bruins center won it in his career.
However, Florida’s captain Aleksander Barkov is a player who will be in the running for the Selke trophy every year. Fittingly, EA Sports gave Barkov’s new HUT card three defensive abilities in Yoink, Stick ‘Em Up, and Shutdown (zone ability).
Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
The Lady Byng Trophy
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is awarded to the player to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability. Usually, this award is given to a player who had a productive season offensively and took few penalties.
This time it was Hurricanes No. 1 shutdown defenseman Jaccob Slavin taking home the Lady Byng award. Slavin only had eight penalty minutes this season, which is incredibly impressive considering how hard and how many minutes he plays, and consistently faces off against the opposing team's best players every night,
Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award
Jacob Trouba, New York Rangers
Rangers captain Jacob Trouba was voted the winner of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award as determined by Messier after consultation with league and team officials. Trouba captained his New York team to an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals before being ousted by the Florida Panthers in six games
As expected given his award, EA Sports gave him Born Leader as his zone ability.
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
Connor Ingram, Arizona Coyotes (now Utah Hockey Club)
Ingram was voted the winner of the Bill Masterton trophy, which is voted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The award is given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
Ingram certainly is deserving of this award after entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program on Jan. 25, 2021. The NHL goaltender opened up about his mental health struggles at the beginning of the year during what was the start of an incredible redemption arc for the now-Utah Hockey Club netminder.
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
Anders Lee, New York Islanders
The King Clancy Trophy is awarded to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community. All 32 teams nominate a player for this award.
New York Islanders captain Anders Lee is the 2023-24 winner and in terms of his new card in NHL 24, you can’t go wrong with a forward who is 6-foot-3 and 235-pounds with his attributes fully maxed out.