The New Jersey Devils aren’t winning any awards this season. Every year, we go over which awards the Devils players could possibly win if everything goes perfectly. This year, we didn’t do it. That’s because it just seems like a long shot to even make the argument. Could Dougie Hamilton win the Norris? Probably not. Would Mackenzie Blackwood ever have a shot at winning the Vezina? It’s very unlikely. The only realistic one was Dawson Mercer fighting for the Calder Trophy, and that’s becoming a bigger long shot with every Lucas Raymond assist and Trevor Zegras goal.
The NHL hasn’t produced a new award in a long time. They introduced the Maurice Richard Trophy in 1999. That goes to the player with the most goals in a season. There’s no real suspense in that. These awards are looking to get people debating for weeks and months prior to the NHL Awards in Las Vegas.
It’s time the NHL introduced some new awards. The awards they have now are a little too cookie cutter. We’re not saying the league should just throw awards out there like Oprah giving out cars. There are some really fun aspects of the game that aren’t represented in today’s NHL.
As far as the Devils go, they might actually have a chance to win some of these awards. There is no reason to take out fanbases in the debate by making it another MVP where a team has to make the playoffs. Let’s be a little more inclusive with these awards. Which awards would make the NHL Awards a little more fun?