NHL 2021- 2022 Awards Finalists – Page 3

TORONTO (May 13, 2022) The National Hockey League Players’ Association announced today the three finalists for the 2021-22 Ted Lindsay Award are defenceman Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators, forward Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and forward Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers. The TLA is presented annually “to the most outstanding player in the NHL,” as voted by fellow members of the NHLPA.

Josi is seeking his first TLA as a first-time finalist, while McDavid is looking to receive his second consecutive and fourth TLA in six seasons, and Matthews is vying for his first TLA after finishing as a finalist last season. Each of the three finalists contributed exceptional individual seasons to help their respective teams reach the playoffs Josi led all defencemen in points, McDavid captured his fourth Art Ross Trophy and Matthews won his second Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. Earlier this week, Josi was also announced as a finalist for the James Norris Trophy, and Matthews and McDavid were each named finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy.

The 2021-22 TLA recipient will be announced later this spring during the Stanley Cup Playoffs (exact date TBD). Formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, the TLA is the namesake of the first president of the original Players’ Association and NHLPA pioneer, Ted Lindsay. This season marks the 51st presentation of the award.

The three TLA finalists received the most votes from their fellow players based on their 2021-22 regular-season campaigns, and are listed in alphabetical order as follows:

ROMAN JOSI, Nashville Predators

Josi played in 80 of Nashville’s 82 regular-season games during the 2021-22 season to help the Predators to their eighth consecutive playoff appearance. He scored 96 points to set a franchise record in the category and a single-season record for points recorded by a European defenceman, while he led both the Predators and NHL defencemen in assists (73) and shots (281). Among league blueliners, he ranked first in even-strength points (59), power-play goals (11), points per game (1.20), multi-point games (26) and primary assists (36), and he finished second in goals (23) and power-play points (37). The 31-year-old native of Bern, Switzerland, placed fourth in the league in total ice time (2,044:21), averaging 25:33 TOI/GP. Josi is only the third defenceman in 22 years to be voted a finalist (Brent Burns, 2016-17; and Chris Pronger, 1999-00). He is also the first TLA finalist in Nashville’s franchise history. Josi is looking to follow Bobby Orr (1974-75) as only the second defenceman to receive the TLA.

AUSTON MATTHEWS, Toronto Maple Leafs

Matthews played in 73 of Toronto’s 82 regular-season games to help the Maple Leafs place second in the Atlantic Division with a franchise-best 115-point season. He scored 60 goals to win his second consecutive Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy setting a Maple Leafs’ franchise record as well as a single-season record for the most goals scored by an American-born player. The 24-year-old native of Scottsdale, Arizona, led the league in even-strength goals (44), goals per game (0.82) and shots (348), and he tied for sixth in league scoring (106 points). Matthews placed second in points per game (1.45), tied for third in even-strength points (77) and he finished fifth in game-winning goals (10). He also recorded career-best marks in power-play goals (16) and face-off win percentage (56.22). A TLA finalist for the second season in a row, Matthews is looking to become the first Maple Leafs player and second American-born player (Patrick Kane, 2015-16) to receive the award.

CONNOR MCDAVID, Edmonton Oilers

McDavid played in 80 of Edmonton’s 82 regular-season games to help lead the Oilers to a second-place finish in the Pacific Division and their third consecutive playoff berth. The 25-year-old native of Newmarket, Ontario, led the league with a career-high 123 points to win his fourth Art Ross Trophy and second in a row. McDavid led all skaters in points per game (1.54), power-play points (44) and multi-point games (45), and he tied for first in overtime goals (4). He also recorded career highs in assists (79), ranking second in the league, and goals (44). McDavid placed second among forwards in TOI/GP (22:04), and he finished second in the league in even-strength points (78) and third in primary assists (49). A three-time TLA recipient (2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21), and now a five-time finalist (also 2018-19), McDavid is looking to join Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky as the only players to receive the award four or more times.

About the Ted Lindsay Award:

The Ted Lindsay Award is unique as the only award voted on by the players themselves, carrying on the tradition established with the Lester B. Pearson Award in 1970-71. NHLPA members annually vote on the player they deem to be the most outstanding in the NHL regular season. Reintroduced in 2009-10 as the namesake of the late Ted Lindsay the Ted Lindsay Award honours his legacy as a Hall of Fame forward known for skill, tenacity, leadership and his role in establishing the original Players’ Association. For more information on the TLA, visit NHLPA.com. Join the conversation by using #TedLindsayAward.

NEW YORK (May 12, 2022) – Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid and New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin are the three finalists for the 2021-22 Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team,” the National Hockey League announced today.

Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association submitted ballots for the Hart Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists. The winners of the 2022 NHL Awards will be revealed during the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final, with exact dates, format and times to be announced.

Following are the finalists for the Hart Trophy, in alphabetical order:

Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

Matthews, who captured the 2021-22 Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading goal-scorer, posted career highs in goals (60), assists (46) and points (106) in 73 games to power the Maple Leafs to a fourth-place finish in the League standings as well as franchise records for wins (54) and points (115) in a campaign. Matthews (San Ramon, Calif.) became the 21st different player in NHL history – and first in a decade – to register 60 goals in a season, breaking Rick Vaive’s Toronto record (54 in 1981-82) and Jimmy Carson’s League benchmark for U.S.-born players (55 in 1987-88). He did so by averaging 0.82 goals per game – the highest rate by any player in a single campaign (minimum: 50 GP) since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96 (0.99) – and scoring 19.23 percent of the Maple Leafs’ total goals (60 of 312) – the fourth-highest such mark in 2021-22 behind only Chris Kreider (20.80% w/ NYR), Leon Draisaitl (19.30% w/ EDM) and Alex DeBrincat (19.25% w/ CHI). Matthews, a Hart Trophy finalist for the second straight year after finishing second in voting in 2020-21, also ranked among this season’s leaders in shots on goal (1st; 348), power-play goals (t-3rd; 16), game-winning goals (5th; 10) and points (6th; 106). He is seeking to become the third Toronto player to win the award and first since Ted Kennedy in 1954-55.

Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers

McDavid, who claimed the 2021-22 Art Ross Trophy as the League’s top scorer, also established career highs in goals (44), assists (79) and points (123) across 80 games to lead the Oilers (49-27-6, 104 points) to their most wins and points in a season since 1986-87 (50-24-6, 106 points). The reigning Hart Trophy winner, who tallied the most points by an Edmonton player since 1989-90 (Mark Messier: 45-84—129) and the second-most by any NHLer over the past 15 years, found the scoresheet in 63 of his 80 contests (78.8%) and never went more than three games without a point. McDavid factored on 43.16 percent of the Oilers’ total goals in 2021-22 (123 of 285), the second-highest rate in the League behind only Patrick Kane (43.19% w/ CHI). He also led the NHL and set personal bests in power-play assists (34) and power-play points (44), and placed in the top 10 in the League in assists (2nd; 79), shots on goal (5th; 314) and goals (7th; 44). McDavid, a Hart Trophy finalist for the fourth time after also winning in 2016-17 and finishing third in voting in 2018-19, is vying to become the ninth player in NHL history to take home the award at least three times – and just the third to do so before turning 26 (age as of final day of regular season), after Wayne Gretzky (7x) and Bobby Orr (3x).

Igor Shesterkin, G, New York Rangers

Shesterkin, who earlier this week was named a finalist for the 2021-22 Vezina Trophy, compiled a 36-13-4 record, 2.07 goals-against average, .935 save percentage and six shutouts in 53 appearances to help the Rangers finish second in the Metropolitan Division with 110 points – their third-best season in franchise history behind only 2014-15 (113 points) and 1993-94 (112 points). Shesterkin, who led the NHL in both goals-against average and save percentage, posted the seventh-highest save percentage in League history (since the statistic began being officially tracked in 1955-56). He also ranked third in the NHL in shutouts and sixth in wins, yielding two or fewer goals in 33 of his 53 contests (62.3%) and making 30 or more saves 28 times (52.8%). Shesterkin, New York’s second Hart Trophy finalist in the past three seasons after Artemi Panarin finished third in voting in 2019-20, is looking to become the fifth Rangers player to win the award and first since Mark Messier in 1991-92. He also is seeking to become the second New York goaltender to capture the Hart Trophy, after Chuck Rayner in 1949-50, and just the third netminder on any team to do so this century, following Carey Price in 2014-15 and Jose Theodore in 2001-02 (both w/ MTL).

History

The Hart Memorial Trophy was presented by the NHL in 1960 after the original Hart Trophy was retired to the Hockey Hall of Fame. The original Hart Trophy was donated to the NHL in 1924 by Dr. David A. Hart, father of Cecil Hart, former manager-coach of the Montreal Canadiens.

Announcement Schedule

The three finalists for the 2022 NHL Awards are being announced through Friday, May 20. The series of announcements continues Friday, May 13, when the three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award will be unveiled.

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