It doesn’t make up for exiting the playoffs in the second round, but Vancouver Canucks fans can take some solace in knowing some of their favourite players may be picking up some shiny new hardware.
The NHL Awards are being handed out in Las Vegas Thursday.
In his first year as captain, Quinn Hughes is a finalist for the Norris Trophy, which is given to the league’s best defenceman.
It’s highly expected he’ll win, but Sportsnet 650 Host Bik Nizzar isn’t convinced.
“He’s my favourite to win, but I have a couple of doubts because of classic West Coast bias,” exclaimed Nizzar.
“Are eastern voters staying up consistently to watch Quinn Hughes when puck drops at 7 p.m. PT routinely or is it easier to watch Cale Makar and Roman Josi? Those guys had fantastic seasons in their own right and they’re previous mainstays in the hierarchy of NHL d-men. This is the first time Quinn Hughes has pierced that top tier to prove he belongs and he’s worthy of a Norris vote.”
“This award has become more and more about the d-man that puts up the most points,” explained Nizzar who points out Hughes put up 92 points this season.
“The big thing for Quinn Hughes to win this award, if that’s what ultimately ends up happening, is he had a +38 season, and if you reflect back on where he was a couple of seasons ago, he was a -24 season after a -10 season. That really stung him, and he wanted to correct that.”
Thatcher Demko is a finalist for the Vezina trophy, but Nizzar doesn’t think he’ll win.
“Demko’s case for the Vezina is hurt more by Connor Hellebuyck’s existence than it is specifically Thatcher Demko’s season,” he explained.
“Obviously, Demko had a really strong season but the injury kind of hurts his case, but he ends up having 35 wins this season, which is less than Hellebuyck who ends up having 37. Hellebuyck with a .921 save percentage, .918 for Demko and 2.45 GAA and 2.39 GAA for Hellebuyck.
“Demko winning the Vezina is going to be really, really difficult. I would personally be stunned if he ended up winning this over Hellebuyck. It’s really Hellebuyck’s to lose.”
The awards are nice, but it’s not what the fanbase and players really want.
“I do think the Norris is a big deal. The Canucks have not had a Norris nominee throughout their entire history … but it’s also been 54 years of no Stanley Cups.”
Nizzar doesn’t think there were any other Canucks this season who deserved to be nominated for an award. J.T. Miller finished 15th in voting for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, while Conor Garland was tied for 23rd.
The 2024 Selke voting list. (Courtesy NHL)
Elias Pettersson was up for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy and Patrik Allvin was a finalist but finished second in voting for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.
The awards ceremony airs at 4 p.m. on Sportsnet.