The NHL Players’ Association has announced the finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, which is awarded annually to the National Hockey League’s most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the players.
The finalists are Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, and Roman Josi. It’s two of the same finalists from the Hart Trophy, but Josi has replaced Igor Shesterkin on the players’ voting.
If McDavid wins, he’ll join Mario Lemieux with four Ted Lindsay/Lester B. Pearson Awards. Wayne Gretzky is the all-time leader with five. McDavid won last season after scoring 105 points in 56 games and he also won in back-to-back seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18. He set a career-high in goals this season with 44 and led the league in points with a career-high 123.
Both Matthews and Josi are looking for the first Ted Lindsay Award of their career. Matthews set a Toronto Maple Leafs franchise record with 60 goals this season while Josi’s 96 points represented the most in a single season by a defenceman in 30 years.
The winners of the NHL Awards will be announced during the Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Final.
More must-reads: