The NHL season started about two months ago, and there have been some unanticipated events happening that no one could foresee. Many teams have exceeded expectations, while other teams have been underachieving.
Some of the teams that have not met their expectations are the Buffalo Sabres, the Edmonton Oilers, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Buffalo Sabres were expected to make a big jump this season after a very successful season last year. They ended the season with 93 points, 3 points away from making the playoffs. With the additions of key players in free agency like Connor Clifton and Erik Johnson, they were expected to be at the top of the Atlantic Division, but instead, they are in limbo at the bottom two. Head Coach Don Granato explains, “We are starting to play better, but the results are frustrating right now.”
The Edmonton Oilers were supposed to be one of the best teams in the NHL this year. They have the best two players in the league, Conner McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. One problem they have with the start of this season is their goaltending. They signed Jack Camphell to a 5-year contract, and he has been disappointing to start the 2023 season. They also have Stuart Skinner, a young goalie who was supposed to be the backbone of the Oilers, but he has not performed up to his expectations yet.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have played very poorly at the start of the 2023-2024 season. They are trying one last run with their core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. The problem with their team is scoring. I believe they should go into a full rebuild and trade some of the older players on their roster to a contender.
It’s never too early to talk about the season awards since we are about ⅓ through the season. The NHL Awards are an award ceremony that is held at the end of the season to showcase who the best players at each position are.
The Calder Trophy is awarded to the best rookie. I believe that Conner Bedard will win the Calder, and it is not even close. Bedard has 24 points in 28 games, and he is only 18 years old. He’s doing all this while playing for the Blackhawks, which are one of the worst teams in the NHL.
The Selke Trophy is awarded to the best defensive forward. I think Dylan Larkin will win this award because while he contributes on the offensive side, he is also very skilled on the defensive end. It is tough to find a player who can win you games by blocking shots, which is key for any team to be successful in the NHL.
The Hart Trophy is given to the MVP of the league. My prediction is that Nikita Kucherov will win this award. As of right now, he has the most points in the league and is one behind Auston Matthews for the most goals in the NHL.
The Jack Adams Award is given to the coach of the year. I believe Derek Lalonde, the coach of the Red Wings, will win this. The red wings were very bad last year, and through the beginning of the season, he has taken them to another level. Right now, they are in the first wildcard spot for the playoffs.
The Norris Trophy is given to the best defenseman in the NHL. I think that Quinn Hughes will win. He is leading all defencemen in points and goals. And it doesn’t look like he will slow down for the time being.
The Rocket Richard is given to the player who has the most goals in the NHL at the end of the season. I believe Artemi Panerin will win the award. He has 16 goals, and the leading goal scorer has 20. He is on a very good Rangers team, and they will score a lot of goals this year.
