September is finally here. Football is already underway, which means that hockey is right around the corner. Training camp will open and preseason games will be underway. As we inch closer and closer to the 2024-25 season, let’s take a look at some players that could be bringing home hardware this year.
Art Ross (Most Points): Connor McDavid
The entire hockey world got to see the best player in the world on the biggest stage in the sport. Seeing Connor McDavid compete for the Stanley Cup was truly remarkable. His team was one win shy of reaching the ultimate goal. Needless to say, McDavid will come out hungry and will help lead the Edmonton Oilers to where they want to go.
McDavid is a point-producing machine. From 2021-24, he had four straight 100-plus point seasons, totaling up 513 points in 294 games. That’s an elite production rate and he shows no signs of slowing down.
There will always be ample opportunity for McDavid, as he plays in almost every crucial situation. Between centering the top line, to playing on the top power play unit, he will have plenty of opportunities to produce. The Oilers’ offense runs through him and Leon Draisaitl.
Also, McDavid has won three straight Art Ross Trophies (2021, 2022, 2023) and a fourth one inside this decade is in order. With a great supporting cast of players and adding a potential 30-goal scorer in Jeff Skinner, great things are going to come for McDavid and the Oilers.
Rocket Richard Trophy (Most Goals): David Pastrnak
There are numerous goal scorers in this league and you can argue that nobody loves scoring goals more than David Pastrnak. Over the last three seasons, only one player has scored more than him.
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Pastrnak scored a career-high 61 goals during the 2022-23 season. He was flanking fellow countryman David Krejci. For fans that remember, Krejci was a phenomenal playmaker and the two developed instant chemistry. Last season, the star winger scored 47 goals and primarily played with Pavel Zacha. Zacha is a good player, but he isn’t Krejci.
Entering the 2024-25 season, Pastrnak will have the luxury of playing alongside Elias Lindholm. Lindholm is a pass-first center and also had his best season during the 2021-22 season playing with Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. Lindholm now has a star winger and Pastrnak has a legitimate top-line center to play with.
Pastrnak is coming off back-to-back 100-point seasons and another successful campaign is in order.
Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender): Igor Shesterkin
There are a lot of great players that play for the New York Rangers. Each player has their own special case for being valuable to the team. But the most valuable is goaltender Igor Shesterkin. He is without question a top-five goaltender in this league, maybe even top-three. He has already captured the Vezina Trophy inside this decade (2022) and could bring home another one in 2024-25.
Over the last three seasons, Shesterkin is rocking a 2.19 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage (SV%). Furthermore, he has an eye-opening 55.12 goals saved above expected, showcasing how dialed in he is while in the goal crease. He has also been good in the high-danger areas, posting a .853 SV%.
Despite a slower start to the 2023-24 season, Shesterkin did rebound and find his game towards the back half of the season. He was dynamite in the postseason once again for the Rangers. In a contract year for Shesterkin, it wouldn’t shock me to see the best version of him in 2024-25.
James Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman): Roman Josi
There are so many good defensemen in this league. The cream of the crop is going to be players such as Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Adam Fox. However, right in the thick of things with those guys is Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi.
At all strengths during the 2023-24 season, Josi finished third in points (85). Also, his 38 primary assists were the best among all defensemen and so were his 23 goals. He is a machine offensively, and his 96 points during the 2021-22 season kept pace with Makar.
Josi is an impactful player and the Predators reap the benefits with him being on the ice. Puck possession is in their favor, they are constantly outshooting the opposition, and they control the expected goals share with him on the ice. He is a weapon, but he is also positionally sound defensively.
Josi is poised for a great season and it is exciting times to be in a Predators jersey. Not only is he perfect for Andrew Brunette’s system, but he has a new defensive partner in Brady Skjei. Given the talent that’s up front and how strong he is defensively, another Norris Trophy-caliber season is not in doubt.
Frank J. Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward): Aleksander Barkov
Now that Patrice Bergeron has retired, other players can have a crack at this award. At this given rate, they should name the trophy after him, but that’s a conversation for a different day. Over the last four years, Bergeron has won the award twice. The other player to win it twice? Aleksander Barkov.
He became the second Finnish-born player to win the award more than once, joining former Dallas Stars forward Jere Lehtinen. Barkov is a tremendous talent and excels at both ends of the ice. He is a tough player to play against and responsible in his own end.
Barkov finished the 2023-24 season with a career-best faceoff win percentage with a 57.3% success rate. When it comes to defensive responsibility, he finished with 61 takeaways. His dominance defensively led to a strong season offensively.
He finished second on the team in assists (57) and third in points (80). His 29 points with the man advantage also was third best on the team. The Florida Panthers have tremendous talent, especially at the top of the lineup. The captain continues to deliver and is the best defensive forward in the sport today. General manager (GM) Bill Zito touched on Barkov winning the award this past year:
“His commitment to training and preparation are second to none in this league. We all follow Sasha’s lead and are proud to have him as our captain.”
He is a workhorse and it shows with his play. Barkov will end up being the new Bergeron and continue to capture the award on numerous occasions.
Jack Adams (Head Coach of the Year): Sheldon Keefe
This is a pick that should age like a fine wine. Despite the first round woes that the Toronto Maple Leafs endured, Sheldon Keefe was a good head coach for the Maple Leafs. He guided the team to the playoffs every season where he was behind the bench. Also, he finished with a 212-97-40 record and his 212 wins are the fifth-most in franchise history. For the New Jersey Devils, they are getting a coach who has had success.
The Devils were not a bad team, but some things went wrong for the club. They got poor goaltending and finished 30th in team save percentage. This problem is fixed, as GM Tom Fitzgerald went out and acquired Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames. That is an immediate upgrade and should give the Devils a better chance to win games. Also, the team suffered numerous injuries and saw key players miss time.
Now, the Devils are healthy. Number one defenseman Dougie Hamilton is returning. Timo Meier finished the season strong, as he had 26 points in 23 games. The young core of Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt is only going to get better. The additions of Brett Pesce, Stefan Noesen, Tomas Tatar, Brenden Dillon, and Paul Cotter make the club deeper than they were a season ago.
With the Devils missing the playoffs during the 2023-24 season and Keefe at the helm, there is optimism surrounding this team. The expectation is to make the playoffs and if Keefe can guide them there, being in the running for the Jack Adams Award is a likely possibility.
Hart Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player): Auston Matthews
Aside from McDavid, there may not be another player hungrier to start the 2024-25 season than Auston Matthews. He is coming off a strong season, finishing with 69 goals and 107 points. The hockey world was on Matthews watch, as hitting the 70-goal mark is a major milestone. Missing the mark by one goal is going to make him hungry for more, and he’s going to come out flying right from the get-go. Nobody has scored more goals in the NHL in the last three seasons than Matthews (169).
But that’s not all. Matthews will now proudly wear the ‘C’ on his sweater, as he has been named the new captain for the franchise. It speaks volumes about his leadership, as he approached John Tavares after the first round exit to the Boston Bruins. Given the team’s first round woes, it was time for a change.
When Matthews was named captain, he went on to speak about how much it meant to him.
“I got chills, honestly,” the star centre said. “I’m so honoured and humbled. Since being drafted here eight years ago, you realize how special it is to play for the city of Toronto, to wear the Maple Leaf on your chest.”
It is a new era in Maple Leafs hockey with number 34 leading the way. With the first round exit, missing the 70-goal mark, and wanting to take this team to new heights, Matthews is going to have a sensational season for the Maple Leafs, as he is the team’s most valuable player. He won the award during the 2022-23 season and another one is not far away.
Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Logan Stankoven
There is a lot to be happy about if you are a Dallas Stars fan. When GM Jim Nill didn’t do a lot at the trade deadline, they got a player from inside the organization to make a difference.
After lighting it up in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Texas Stars, the time came for Logan Stankoven to join the big club. He was over a point-per-game player in the AHL and made his mark immediately in the NHL. In 24 regular season games, he scored six goals and 14 points. When it came to the postseason, he had three goals and eight points.
Stankoven has a nose for the net and is dynamic when creating offense. He will use the experience he’s built up to his advantage and make a huge impact on the contending Dallas Stars. With a full season about to be under his belt for 2024-25, he is more than prepared for the Calder Trophy and could take it.
Now, let’s take a look at what some fellow writers here at The Hockey Writers predict!
Predictions From Other Members at The Hockey Writers
Jacob Billington (@JacobBillingt10 on Twitter)
Hart: Jack Hughes
Art Ross: Connor McDavid
Norris: Evan Bouchard
Selke Trophy: Nico Hischier
Vezina: Jusse Saros
Rocket Richard: Auston Matthews
Jack Adams: Sheldon Keefe/Travis Green
Jesse Courville-Lynch: (@JCourvilleLynch on Twitter)
Norris Trophy: Evan Bouchard
Art Ross: Connor McDavid
Hart Trophy: Connor McDavid
Selke: Aleksander Barkov/Jordan Staal
Rocket Richard: Auston Matthews/ Alex Ovechkin
Vezina: Ilya Sorokin
Jack Adams: Kris Knoblauch
Josh Reinitz: (@jreinitzesq on Twitter)
Norris: Roman Josi
Art Ross: Connor McDavid
Hart: Nathan MacKinnon
Selke: Aleksander Barkov/Nico Hischier
Vezina: Jeremy Swayman
Rocket Richard: Nathan MacKinnon
Jack Adams: Martin St. Louis
Stefano Rubino: (@StefanoFRubino1 on Twitter)
Norris: Cale Makar
Art Ross: Connor McDavid
Hart: Connor McDavid
Selke: Aleksander Barkov
Rocket Richard: Auston Matthews
Vezina: Igor Shesterkin
Jack Adams: Andrew Brunette
Lucas Standel: (@LucasS9310 on Twitter)
Norris: Adam Fox
Art Ross: Connor McDavid
Hart: Connor McDavid
Selke: Aleksander Barkov
Rocket Richard: Nathan MacKinnon
Vezina: Igor Shesterkin
Jack Adams: Paul Maurice
Hunter Crowther
Hart: Connor McDavid
Norris: Quinn Hughes
Art Ross: Jack Hughes
Rocket Richard: Auston Matthews
Vezina: Igor Shesterkin
Selke: Anze Kopitar
Jack Adams: Sheldon Keefe
So Many Great Candidates for Awards
As you can see, there is no shortage of options for the upcoming awards. A lot of names you see multiple times, but there’s a good reason for that. This upcoming hockey season is going to be special and it’ll be great to see who is the best of the best for the respective awards.
