NHL Awards Watch: Favorites near season's midpoint
We're nearing the midway point of the NHL season, so it's time to check in on the award races. theScore's Michael Bradburn, Kyle Cushman, John Matisz, Sean O'Leary, Levi Smith, and Josh Wegman weigh in on who they think will win the Hart, Vezina, Norris, and Calder based on how the campaign has gone so far.
Hart Memorial Trophy
π Check out all of the Hart Trophy odds available at theScore Bet here
MacKinnon is the unanimous front-runner after a blistering 33-game stretch in which he leads the league in goals (28), points (58), plus-minus (plus-43), even-strength goals (22), and shots (155). He's also the NHL's most valuable player by Evolving-Hockey's goals above replacement metric at 15.3.
McDavid made all but one ballot due in large part to a recent scoring surge. He's two points behind MacKinnon for the league lead, but his overall impact hasn't been as significant. MacKinnon's dominance has the Avalanche on track to win the Presidents' Trophy, while the Oilers are in a dogfight for third place in the Pacific Division.
Makar, Kaprizov, Celebrini, and Eichel also received votes. It will be difficult for Makar to outperform his own teammate, but the other three are dark horses to monitor. If 19-year-old Celebrini, who's third in league scoring, can carry the Sharks to the playoffs, he'll earn serious MVP consideration.
Vezina Trophy
π Check out all of the Vezina Trophy odds available at theScore Bet here
Our Vezina ballots had the most variety of any award, but Thompson is the favorite. The Capitals netminder is 13-7-3 on the season along with a .922 save percentage and 26.48 goals saved above expected, good for second in the NHL. Statistically, he should be considered the front-runner to start for Canada at the Olympics.
Vasilevskiy and Sorokin are having terrific campaigns, ranking top 10 in GSAx while guiding their respective squads into playoff position. Knight has proven to be a capable No. 1 in Chicago, but he'll be in tough to earn legitimate Vezina consideration if the Blackhawks miss the postseason. Swayman is crafting an impressive bounce-back campaign and is a name to watch if the Bruins stay in the race for the Atlantic Division title.
Norris Trophy
π Check out all of the Norris Trophy odds available at theScore Bet here
Makar is trending toward winning his second consecutive Norris Trophy and third in seven seasons. He's on pace for a career-high 99 points and the Avalanche are scoring 72.2% of the goals when he's on the ice at five-on-five, the second-best mark among defensemen. He already has a sparkling reputation with voters, so securing more hardware could be a layup if he remains on his current pace.
That's not to overlook a handful of contenders capable of chasing him down. Heiskanen, the runner-up on most of our ballots, is averaging over 26 minutes per night and performing in all situations. He's the only rearguard to be top 10 in overall, shorthanded, and power-play ice time this season, and he's chipped in a respectable 29 points in 34 games.
Werenski has carried over last year's Norris runner-up form into the 2025-26 campaign, while Seider has emerged as a legitimate candidate. He's on pace for 57 points and leads all defenders with a 62.21% expected goals rate and 15 goals above replacement.
Calder Memorial Trophy
π Check out all of the Calder Trophy odds available at theScore Bet here
Schaefer wasted no time establishing himself as a star and is the runaway favorite for rookie of the year after being drafted first overall in June. He's third in scoring among first-year players and ranks fourth among all defensemen with nine goals. Schaefer is already playing top-pair minutes for the Islanders, and his arrival is a key factor in New York's return to the Metropolitan Division playoff race.
Wallstedt is a popular pick for runner-up, but only having 12 appearances under his belt hurts his candidacy. Although he's posted a remarkable .937 save percentage and four shutouts when the Wild have called on him, he needs more playing time to have a chance to knock off Schaefer.
Sennecke and Demidov, the league's top two rookie scorers, have strong cases to be finalists by season's end. However, they'll each need to go on a spectacular run to take the spotlight off Schaefer.
US: Must be 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER; Hope is here. Call (800)-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support (MA); Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY).
ON: Please play responsibly. 19+. ON only. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call ConnexOntario 24/7 at 1-866-531-2600. Text us at 247247 or chat with us at www.connexontario.ca.