The NHL Awards are tonight, and while the Carolina Hurricanes are shutout from the event with no finalists to speak of - although I'm sure they're not heartbroken over that fact - there's still a good amount of Hurricanes players that should have still collected some votes. So let's predict who received voter support.
Hart Memorial Trophy - Most Valuable Player
Finalists: Connor McDavid, David Pastrnak, Matthew Tkachuk
- Brent Burns - It's hard to stand out enough on a team that gets as many contributions throughout the lineup as Carolina does, but in terms of complete value, there wasn't really a player as valuable to the Hurricanes as Brent Burns was this past season. With strong play in all three zones, the top PP unit, the second PK unit, steady production and more, Burns was an elite force that gave Carolina a significant edge in almost every game they played.
James Norris Memorial Trophy - Best Defenseman
Finalists: Adam Fox, Erik Karlsson, Cale Makar
- Brent Burns - Father Time eventually comes for everyone, but it seems that he has had trouble catching Brent Burns. The veteran defenseman was dominant yet again in his first pair role with the Hurricanes, putting up 18 goals and 61 points along with strong two-way results.
- Jaccob Slavin - One of these years they're going to make a trophy for defensive defensemen and it will be named the Jaccob S. Slavin Trophy. That day is still not upon us, but regardless, Slavin is still one of the best defensemen in the entire league. You take elite defensive ability, add in strong two-way play and even some production, and you have Slavin.
- Brady Skjei - Brady Skjei finished tied for third in goals among defensemen (18) and put up great results alongside Brett Pesce in the Hurricanes' hardest assignments. He's a longshot to get votes with as many talented defensemen as there are, but he would be deserving of a few votes here and there.
Calder Memorial Trophy - Rookie of the Year
Finalists: Matty Beniers, Owen Power, Stuart Skinner
- Pyotr Kochetkov - When Kochetkov joined the Canes for the first time last season, his run of games stated generating Calder buzz. However, he petered out more and more with each callup and eventually found himself struggling to string together some wins. But without many top rookies, he may collect a vote here and there.
Jack Adams Award - Coach of the Year
Finalists: Dave Hakstol, Jim Montgomery, Lindy Ruff
- Rod Brind'Amour - The Jack Adams trophy is a narrative trophy. Consistency and dominance mean absolutely nothing. It's all about who has the best story. Rod is a good coach, but he doesn't currently have the most intriguing story. He did in 2020-21 when he won it, but that's not now. He should, but he won't.
Frank J. Selke Trophy - Best Defensive Forward
Finalists: Patrice Bergeron, Nico Hischier, Mitchell Marner
- Jordan Staal - Staal is one of the preeminent defensive and shutdown centers in the entire league. The fact that he doesn't put up big numbers prevents him from generating the appropriate buzz, but anybody that watches him knows how good he is.
- Sebastian Aho - Aho has garnered a few Selke votes in each of the last few seasons and a big reason for that has to be due to his penalty killing. Aho is one of the top shorthanded scorers and is a threat whenever he's on the ice. Not as elite of a defensive player, but he'll probably get some votes.
- Jesperi Kotkaniemi - For the analytic voters, Jesperi Kotkaniemi's numbers will really jump off the page. His defensive game is the best part of his tool kit and he really proved that he has what it takes to go against top-end opponents.
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy - Most Gentlemanly Player
Finalists: Jack Hughes, Anze Kopitar, Brayden Point
- Jaccob Slavin - The 2020-21 Lady Byng winner will not be defending his title this season. He had four times as many penalty minutes this year (8) as he did the year he won (2). A real goon this year (sarcasm). But honestly, you won't find a better person than Slavin and he should just win the award every year.
Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award
Finalists: Jim Nill, Don Sweeney, Bill Zito
- Don Waddell - The Canes were the second best team in the league, finished in the final four, and did that all with multiple injuries and the lack of a true superstar. If that's not due to clearly planned and calculated team building and asset management, I don't know what else to tell you. This is also still a narrative trophy though.
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy - Dedication to Hockey
Finalists: Clayton Keller, Kris Letang, Alex Stalock
- Jordan Martinook - Every team gets a nomination for the Masterton and Jordan Martinook was the nominee from the Hurricanes, however there are so many better cases around the league.
Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award
- Jordan Staal - He doesn't get enough recognition for his leadership, but he should. If Rod Brind'Amour is saying you're a good leader, that means something.
King Clancy Memorial Trophy - Humanitarian Contributions
Finalists: Mikael Backlund, Anders Lee, Darnell Nurse
None
Vezina Trophy - Best Goaltender
Finalists: Connor Hellebuyck, Ilya Sorokin, Linus Ullmark
None
Ted Lindsay Award - Most Outstanding Player (Voted on by players)
Finalists: Erik Karlsson, Connor McDavid, David Pastrnak
None
Jordan Staal•Brady Skjei•Canes•Jaccob Slavin•Jesperi Kotkaniemi•Pyotr Kochetkov•Sebastian Aho•Brent Burns•Hurricanes