The All-Star break is the perfect time to reflect on the Los Angeles Kings' first 48 games and a good time to hand out some mid-season awards.
ART ROSS: Adrian Kempe, 43 Points in 48 Games:
There's a tie here between Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala, but with 17 goals to Fiala's 13, Kempe takes the trophy.
The goals haven't flowed at quite the same rate for Kempe this year, but he's rounded out his game even more and could be one of the few players to lead the team in points to not be named Anze Kopitar over the last 18 years.
ROCKET RICHARD: Trevor Moore, 21 Goals in 48 Games:
I don't think anyone expected Trevor Moore, who's historically underperformed as a finisher, to be leading the team in goals after 48 games, but here we are.
A hot start with 12 goals in his first 20 games got Moore out to an early lead and he hasn't given it up yet. Moore is on pace for the first 30-goal season of his career in year one of a five-year, $21 million contract.
Hart Trophy: Adrian Kempe:
Moore's goals and Kopitar's defensive play make them solid candidates for this award, but I'm giving it to Kempe.
He's leading the team in points, is second in wins above replacement and plays in all situations, what more do you want from a player? If he finishes with 30 goals and 75+ points — he's on pace for 29 and 73 — it would be difficult for any player to steal this award from him.
I will give a dark horse mention to Quinton Byfield who could enter the conversation with a monstrous second half.
Norris Trophy: Drew Doughty:
Another player who's posting good numbers while playing in all situations, Drew Doughty takes home the Norris here. He leads the league in average time on ice and is second on the Kings in goals for percentage playing against the opposition's top line every night.
Both Matt Roy and Vladislav Gavrikov deserve a shout here, but Doughty's ability to do it in all situations against the opposition's best players earns him the award here.
Vezina Trophy: Cam Talbot:
Cam Talbot's more recent struggles put some doubt in my mind here, but we can't forget that he was voted an All-Star for good reason.
Even though his record has dipped, he's still posting a solid .911 save percentage and 6.6 goals saved above expected. Giving it to David Rittich feels like too much recency bias, so Talbot wins out.
Selke Trophy: Anze Kopitar:
Do I really need to explain this one?
Like Doughty, Kopitar does it every night against the opposition's best players. He leads the team in faceoff percentage, is posting strong defensive analytics and leads all forwards in blocks.
He is an easy winner for this one.
Calder Trophy: Alex Laferriere:
The only easier decision is Alex Laferriere for the Calder Trophy because he's the only one who can win it.
Jordan Spence is disqualified because he played six or more games in each of the last two seasons, leaving Laferriere as the only eligible candidate.
This isn't just a player winning by default though, Laferriere's played well enough to earn this award, adapting quickly to the NHL.
There hasn't been a lot of offense to this point, but he's been a responsible "trusting" player for Todd McLellan this season.
Masterson Trophy: Trevor Moore:
After dealing with some brutal concussion problems last season, Moore is an easy pick for the Masterson Trophy.
Not only did Moore recover from the injuries and return to his best, he's exceeded it by beating his previous career-high in goals before the All-Star break.
If Alex Turcotte becomes a full-time member of the team, he'll win this at the end of the season, but for now, it's Moore's award.
Lady Byng: Anze Kopitar:
The current holder of the real award, Kopitar is the winner in the mid-season awards too.
The guy plays a defensively sound 19 minutes a night and has just six penalty minutes on the season. There's a reason he's a two-time recipient with a chance for back-to-back wins this year.