By Jared Clinton, Features writer

Mario Lemieux Award

(Best player)

Nathan MacKinnon

COL

Mikko Rantanen's shocking January departure left MacKinnon to shoulder the attack solo. And ‘Nate Dogg’ didn’t miss a beat; his 1.37 points per game post-trade ranked him third among those with 30-plus games. What continues to elevate him beyond his peers is his uncanny and almost unparalleled ability to singlehandedly drive play.

Runners-Up

2. Leon Draisaitl, Edm

3. Connor McDavid, Edm

4. Nikita Kucherov, TB

5. Connor Hellebuyck, Wpg

Wayne Gretzky Award

(Most valuable player)

Leon Draisaitl

EDM

Despite tying MacKinnon in voting total, Draisaitl received more first-place nods. This was Draisaitl’s most complete NHL campaign, as he authored the sixth 100-point season of his career, won the Rocket Richard and posted the best ‘D’ metrics of his career. Add to it 11 game-winners (tied for most in the NHL), and his MVP credentials are evident.

Runners-Up

2. Nathan MacKinnon, Col

3. Connor Hellebuyck, Wpg

4. Nikita Kucherov, TB

5. Connor McDavid, Edm

Bobby Orr Award

(Best defenseman)

Cale Makar

COL

Makar became the third D-man since 1990 to net 30 goals, and he led blueliners in assists (62), points (92), power-play goals (12) and shorthanded goals (two). Makar averaged 25:43 per game, the third-highest in the NHL and second-highest of his career. What MacKinnon is for the Avalanche forward group, Makar is for the D-corps.

Runners-Up

2. Quinn Hughes, Van

3. Zach Werenski, Clb

4. Jaccob Slavin, Car

5. Thomas Harley, Dal

Saku Koivu Award

(Comeback player)

Darcy Kuemper

LA

Coincidentally, two players traded for one another finished 1 and 2, but Kuemper’s performance following a rough two-season turn in Washington was most remarkable. In 2023-24, Kuemper finished with the eighth-worst goals-saved above average per 60 among 1,000-minute goalies. This season, he outclassed all but three keepers.

Runners-Up

2. Pierre-Luc Dubois, Wsh

3. Sean Monahan, Clb

4. Rickard Rakell, Pit

5. Tomas Hertl, Veg

Patrick Roy Award

(Best goalie)

Connor Hellebuyck

WPG

There's no flash to Hellebuyck’s game. He lets his stats do the talking. He led the NHL in wins (47), goals-against average (2.00) and shutouts (eight) en route to winning consecutive Vezina and Jennings Trophies – plus the 2025 Hart. Hellebuyck has proven himself to be among the NHL’s most consistent and reliable regular-season stoppers.

Runners-Up

2. Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB

3. Logan Thompson, Wsh

4. Darcy Kuemper, LA

5. Anthony Stolarz, Tor

Guy Carbonneau Award

(Top penalty-killer)

Jaccob Slavin

CAR

Slavin continues to be the linchpin for the NHL’s top PK unit, and his influence in helping Carolina to its league-best 83.6 percent success rate shouldn’t be undersold. Of the 107 ‘D’ to play 100-plus PK minutes, Slavin – who finished eighth at 236:03 – ranked top 10 in limiting shots (ninth) and attempts against (eighth) per 60 minutes.

Runners-Up

2. Esa Lindell, Dal

3. Anthony Cirelli, TB

4. Jonas Siegenthaler, NJ

5. Mitch Marner, Tor

Cam Neely Award

(Breakout player)

Dylan Holloway

STL

Holloway made the Blues' offer-sheet gambit look like a masterstroke, taking the Show Me State’s slogan to heart. In his 89 NHL games with the Oilers prior to 2024-25, Holloway produced nine goals and 18 points, but he laid waste to those totals with a 26-goal, 63-point output this year, showing the NHL he’s a true top-six talent.

Runners-Up

2. Kirill Marchenko, Clb

3. Aliaksei Protas, Wsh

4. Anthony Stolarz, Tor

5. Brandon Hagel, TB

Rod Langway Award

(Best defensive defenseman)

Jaccob Slavin

CAR

Slavin's is among the most thankless tasks in hockey: squaring off against the game’s elite on a nightly basis and being asked to tilt the ice in his club’s favor. He does it better than almost any blueliner in the NHL. Among the 150 defensemen with 1,000 minutes at even strength, only four had a higher expected goals percentage than Slavin.

Runners-Up

2. Chris Tanev, Tor

3. Gustav Forsling, Fla

4. Esa Lindell, Dal

5. Mattias Ekholm, Edm

Bob Probert Award

(Toughest player)

Mathieu Olivier

CLB

Olivier should spend his summer in an ice bath. Not only did the Blue Jackets right winger throw his weight around to the tune of 306 hits, the second-most in the NHL, he led the league with 15 fighting majors and also laid his body on the line to block 80 shots. Only seven forwards got in front of more rubber than Olivier.

Runners-Up

2. Tom Wilson, Wsh

3. Brady Tkachuk, Ott

T4. Radko Gudas, Ana

T4. Chris Tanev, Tor

Scotty Bowman Award

(Best coach)

Spencer Carbery

WSH

The true brilliance of Carbery’s work is the way in which he’s incorporated fresh faces and young talent to rejuvenate the roster and return Washington to the East’s elite. Pierre-Luc Dubois and Logan Thompson were welcome adds, but Carbery pulling breakout years out of Connor McMichael and Aliaksei Protas was arguably more integral for the Caps.

Runners-Up

2. Scott Arniel, Wpg

3. Dean Evason, Clb

4. Rod Brind’Amour, Car

5. Jon Cooper, TB

Teemu Selanne Award

(Best rookie)

Lane Hutson

MTL

Hutson didn't just step into the Habs’ lineup in his debut campaign; he reshaped the blueline and provided a new outlet for the attack. His statistical feats were impeccable – and not just for this era, but for any. Hutson was the second rookie D-man in NHL history to record 60 assists, and his 66 points are the fourth-most by a freshman rearguard.

Runners-Up

2. Dustin Wolf, Cgy

3. Macklin Celebrini, SJ

4. Matvei Michkov, Phi

5. Cutter Gauthier, Ana

Sam Pollock Award

(Best GM)

Bill Zito

FLA

Not only did Zito execute swaps for Seth Jones and Brad Marchand that were essential to the Panthers’ second Cup win in a row, but the GM ensured Florida’s success could continue by inking Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe to long-term deals. Thanks to Zito, the ‘Year of the Rat’ seems primed to stretch half a decade, if not longer.

Runners-Up

2. Jim Nill, Dal

3. Chris Patrick, Wsh

4. Kevin Cheveldayoff, Wpg

5. Chris MacFarland, Col

This article appeared in our 2025 Champions issue and was lightly edited for online after the Canucks traded Silovs to the Penguins.

Our cover story focuses on the 2025 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, specifically the elite play of defenseman Seth Jones, along with a recap of each game of the Cup final. We also include features on Sharks center Will Smith and Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans. In addition, we give our list of the top 10 moments from the 2024-25 NHL season.

You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.