Michael Traikos, Katie Gaus and Ryan Kennedy discuss the early front-runners for the Hart Trophy. Connor McDavid and Jamie Benn [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA5ODQzOTAwNTc0MDgyNzI5/usatsi_23457009_168400847_lowres.jpg] Connor McDavid and Jamie Benn At this time in the professional hockey calendar, pundits and fans like to put out their pre-season predictions – here at THN.com, we’re no different. We polled 56 web contributors at The Hockey News, including site editors, correspondents and managing editors, for their predictions on more than 30 topics. Without further ado, let’s break down the first part of the results, featuring predictions for the Stanley Cup, Hart Trophy and more major individual and team award winners. Adam Proteau has the analysis. HART TROPHY (LEAGUE MVP) Analysis: There isn’t ever complete consensus on any category in these pre-season predictions, but the Hart Trophy balloting was a lopsided affair. Oilers superstar Connor McDavid garnered 41 of 56 votes. The 27-year-old McDavid already has three Harts to his credit, and we suspect he’ll pick up his fourth Hart this season. Three past Hart Trophy winners placed second through fourth on the list as well, with Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, Colorado star center Nathan MacKinnon and Tampa Bay winger Nikita Kucherov. But McDavid is the overwhelming favorite to win this year’s Hart. That said, he received more than 80 percent of the votes in last year's poll, and only two people were right in picking MacKinnon. ART ROSS TROPHY (MOST POINTS) Analysis: McDavid finished third in the Art Ross race last season with 132 points. Kucherov won the award with 144 points, but this season’s voters picked McDavid by a huge 42-vote lead over MacKinnon and Kucherov in second. The scale of point totals voters assigned to McDavid runs from 130 points at the low end to 162 points at the high end. If McDavid does win the points race, he’d be winning the sixth Art Ross of his incredible NHL career. As Kucherov showed last season, McDavid isn’t a guaranteed winner of this award, but voters made it clear it’s tough to doubt him. MAURICE 'ROCKET' RICHARD TROPHY (MOST GOALS) Analysis: The ‘Rocket’ Richard honors went to Matthews in three of the last four seasons, so it’s no surprise that 46 voters picked Matthews to be the NHL’s top goal-scorer again. The biggest discrepancy in the Rocket Richard voting was the number of goals Matthews will score: the biggest goal total was 72, while the smallest goal total was 52. NORRIS TROPHY (TOP DEFENSEMAN) Analysis: Makar won his first Norris Trophy in 2022, but voters this year predict the 25-year-old Avalanche blueliner to win Norris No. 2. This vote was more evenly split than the previous two awards, with Makar getting 19 votes, Dallas Stars D-man Miro Heiskanen getting 11 and Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (last season’s Norris winner) and Nashville’s Roman Josi each garnering eight votes each. Makar had his best year yet on offense last season, with a career-best 69 assists and 90 points in 77 games. He’s going to face great competition to win this year’s Norris, but voters see him as the most likely winner. VEZINA TROPHY (TOP GOALTENDER) Analysis: Shesterkin is regarded as one of the best, if not the best goalie in the game, and 24 voters agreed that he will win this year’s Vezina as the best netminder on the planet. Shesterkin is entering a contract season, and if he does end up winning this year’s Vezina, it will be the second time he’s earned that honor. The Rangers are projected to go far in the post-season, but they’ll likely only go so far as Shesterkin carries them. And voters see him as carrying the Blueshirts very far. CALDER TROPHY (TOP ROOKIE) Analysis: Unlike last season – when Chicago Blackhawks phenom Connor Bedard was an easy pick to win the Calder – this year’s class of top rookies is considerably more competitive. Winning The Hockey News’ voting by just a single vote was Philadelphia right winger Matvei Michkov, who received 20 votes. In second place with 19 votes was 2024’s No. 1-overall pick Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks. Michkov is one year older than Celebrini, and the Russian winger has multiple years of pro hockey under his belt, whereas Celebrini does not. But it should be a neck-and-neck race between Michkov and Celebrini to win this year’s Calder. And if anyone else winds up winning it, it would be a major surprise. SELKE TROPHY (TOP DEFENSIVE FORWARD) Analysis: Last season’s Selke winner – for the second time in his career – was Florida’s Barkov. And THN.com’s voters picked Barkov to win this year’s Selke. Barkov’s all-around game makes him one of the top NHLers alive today, but his commitment to strong defense sets him apart from most of his peers. So long as he’s healthy, he’s the odds-on favorite to win the Selke and add another achievement to his impressive career. JACK ADAMS AWARD (TOP COACH) Analysis: Few categories had as much variance as the coach-of-the-year category, with 12 coaches receiving at least one vote. However, in first place was first-year Devils coach Keefe, who got 20 votes as this season's Jack Adams-winner. A distant second was Buffalo Sabres bench boss Ruff, who garnered seven votes – and after that, six coaches had anywhere from three votes to five votes. In addition to Ruff (who’s in his first year of a new stint with the Sabres), four other coaches in the first full year with their new team – including Toronto’s Craig Berube, Ottawa’s Travis Green, Winnipeg’s Scott Arniel and the Isles' Patrick Roy – received between two to five votes. PRESIDENTS' TROPHY (TOP REGULAR-SEASON TEAM) Analysis: The Rangers were the NHL’s top regular-season team last season, but in this year’s voting, the Blueshirts were in third spot with six votes. Ahead of them are the Oilers (13 votes) and the Dallas Stars (26 votes). The Stars are the sexy pick to finish first in the NHL, and for good reason. Their depth and balance are as excellent as they get, and they’re playing in a Central Division that’s not the strongest in the league. Dallas is a front-runner to win this year’s Stanley Cup (and more on that below), but they’re obviously a super-strong regular-season squad as well. STANLEY CUP CHAMPION Analysis: Last season’s Western Conference finalists – the Stars and Oilers – finished first and second in this poll question. The Stars received 23 votes, while the Oilers finished second with 17 votes. The Rangers received the most votes for an Eastern Conference squad, with seven. As far as picking who the Stanley Cup final losing team will be, the Rangers received 20 votes, followed by the Devils (nine votes) and Stars (seven votes). And two teams – the Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes – finished tied for fourth (six votes apiece). The Stars led all NHL teams with 29 total votes to make it to the Cup final, while the Rangers finished second (26 combined votes), and the Oilers finished third (20 combined votes). Michael Traikos, Katie Gaus and Ryan Kennedy discuss which clubs could win the Cup this season. CONN SMYTHE TROPHY (PLAYOFF MVP) Analysis: McDavid pulled off the rare feat of winning the Conn Smythe as part of the Cup final-losing team last season, and THN.com’s voters confidently picked him again to win the Conn Smythe this year, with 17 votes. Intriguingly, the players who finished second through fifth in Conn Smythe voting were four Stars players. 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