Handing out the mid-season awards for the 2023-24 Vancouver Canucks.
Handing out the mid-season awards for the 2023-24 Vancouver Canucks.
The Vancouver Canucks have had a remarkable start to the 2023-24 season. With a record of 33-11-5, they are the top team in the NHL at the all-star break and have quite a few members of their organization projected to be finalists for year-end awards. With that in mind, here are the mid-season awards for this year's Vancouver Canucks.
Art Ross: J.T. Miller
J.T. Miller leads the Canucks in points at the all-star break with 67 through his first 49 games. He is currently on pace to not just surpass 100 points for the first in his career but also tie Henrik Sedin's franchise record for most points in a season. With Elias Pettersson just three points behind and two projected to be playing on different lines after the break, it will be interesting to see if he can maintain his lead or if he will be surpassed by the end of the season.
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy: Brock Boeser
For the first time in his career, Brock Boeser is a 30-goal scorer. If he can continue this pace, he will become the third player in franchise history to hit the 50-goal mark in a season. While he did have a mini six-game goal-scoring slump recently, odds are he will come out of the break firing on all cylinders and eventually hit the prestigious milestone.
Hart Memorial Trophy: Quinn Hughes
While there are some other candidates, Quinn Hughes is Vancouver's MVP this season. He leads all defenders in the NHL with 62 points in 49 games and should be in the conversation for the Hart Memorial Trophy at the end of the season. He is this team's engine and continues to lead by example in his first year as captain.
James Norris Memorial Trophy: Quinn Hughes
There is no question that Quinn Hughes is the Canucks best defenceman this year. Not only will he win his fifth straight Walter "Babe" Pratt Trophy at the end of the season, but he may be the first player in franchise history to win the James Norris Memorial Trophy. He is one of the greatest defencemen ever to put on a Vancouver jersey; he continues to achieve feats that have been done in the NHL since before he was born.
Vezina Trophy: Thatcher Demko
Another player who is having a historic season is Thatcher Demko. He is on pace to become the second goaltender in franchise history to hit 40 wins in a season and is two wins away from tying Dan Cloutier for the fourth-most wins in franchise history. Do not be surprised if he is a Vezina finalist at the end of the season, as he has backstopped the Canucks to first place in the NHL.
Frank J Selke Trophy: Elias Pettersson
On top of being a dominant force in the offensive zone, Elias Pettersson has developed into one of the best two-way centers in the league. He was a top-ten Selke finalist last season and may once again be in the conversation at the end of the year. Projected to play beside Elias Lindholm, the two could create the ultimate shutdown line that should be able to go head-to-head with the opposition best on a nightly basis.
Calder Memorial Trophy: None
Vancouver doesn't have any players that are eligible for the Calder, so instead, this award will be given to the best player under 100 career games, which is Nils Åman. After earning a call-up from the Abbotsford Canucks earlier in the year, he has locked the fourth-line center position and provided the Canucks with valuable minutes during his 26 games this season. A player that head coach Rick Tocchet has praised at different times throughout the year, he clearly has a bright future in Vancouver.
Bill Masteron Memorial Trophy: Thatcher Demko
Last year was tough for Demko. He suffered a groin injury in early December, which kept him out of the lineup for 35 games. It is safe to say that he has rebounded in a big way, as he is currently tied for the league lead in shutouts with five and sits second in wins with 26. While he doesn't wear a letter, it is clear he is one of the leaders on this team as he shows the rest of the NHL just how talented of a goaltender he is.
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Brock Boeser
With four penalty minutes on the season, Boeser gets the nod for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. While a few others are under five penalty minutes on the year, it feels right to give Boeser this award. If he can limit his time in the box for the rest of the campaign, he could record under ten penalty minutes in a season for the first time in his career.
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