NHL announces Ted Lindsay Award finalists
The NHL announced the three finalists for the 2021-22 Ted Lindsay Award, formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, which is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players' Association.
The nominees were announced Friday morning:
Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators led all NHL defensemen in points with 23 goals and 73 assists for 96 points in 80 games played. Josi is also a finalist for the Norris Memorial for the league's top defenseman. He is now only the third defenceman in 22 years to be voted as a finalist for the Ted Lindsay (Brent Burns in 2017 and Chris Pronger in 2000).
Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, who already won the 2021-22 Art Ross Trophy and is a Hart Trophy finalist, set career highs in goals with 44, assists with 79 and points with 123 in 80 games played. He found the scoresheet in 63 of his 80 games (78.8%) and never went more than three games without a point this season. A three-time recipient (2017, 2018, 2021) and now a five-time finalist (also 2019), McDavid is looking to join Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky as the only players to receive the award four or more times.
Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs won the 2021-22 Maurice «Rocket» Richard Trophy and is also a Hart Trophy finalist. He set career highs in goals with 60, assists with 46 and points with 106 in just 73 games played. Matthews became just the 21st different player in NHL history and the first in a decade to register 60 goals in a season. He is a Ted Lindsay Award finalist for the second season in a row.
Connor McDavid will probably win the Ted Lindsay for the second straight season, solely based on the fact that this award is voted on by fellow NHL players and because McDavid led the NHLPA poll in "If you need to win one game, who is the one skater you would want on your team?" He also came second in the poll for "Which player do you least enjoy playing against, but would like to have on your team?" (First place was Boston Bruins' Brad Marchand)
MY PICK: Connor McDavid
The last Boston Bruin to win the Ted Lindsay Award was Bobby Orr in the 1974-75 NHL season. Phil Esposito won it as a Bruin the year before as well.
