Sprint to the Finish: NHL Awards Race Heading Down to the Wire

With three weeks left in what may be the best regular season since the lockout, superlative awards are the last thing on most players' and fans' minds. Twelve teams in each conference still posses realistic playoff hopes, and no team besides Vancouver has gained any sort of separation from the field.

However, the award race marches on, regardless of its lack of attention. Not only has the parity of the league created so many close playoff races, but it's created an incredibly deep field when it comes to the league's standouts (Sidney Crosby going down was also a factor in this).

While most hockey fans are agonizing over the uncertainty of their teams' current position (myself included), my goal here is to bring the award discussion back into the picture.

Hart Trophy Front-Runner

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ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 06: Daniel Sedin #22 of the Vancouver Canucks controls the puck at the point against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on March 6, 2011 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Daniel Sedin, W, Vancouver

While playing with another all-world talent usually hurts a player's MVP chances, just the opposite is true with the Sedin twins. Henrik and Daniel are a two headed beast, and one does not come without the other.

With most star duos, MVP votes are lost, deservedly so, because the team would still be in decent shape with only one of the two.

However, Daniel has and will never play without Henrik, and vice versa. So, in this way, Daniel's true value to the Canucks is not only his league leading 93 points (38 goals, 55 assists), but also Henrik's 86 points, which is third in the NHL. Last year, Henrik had the healthier season and won the Art Ross and Hart. People started to speculate that Henrik was the better Sedin.

Daniel, in the Art Ross lead this year, now looks like the best to many. But these two are one unstoppable force, and although they each have only their own stats kept under their names, in my opinion, Daniel and Henrik each have 179 points this year. 

Other Hart Trophy Contenders

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DETROIT, MI - MARCH 9: Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings skates with the puck in a game against the Detroit Red Wings on March 9, 2011 at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The Kings defeated the Wings 2-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty I

Anze Kopitar, C, Los Angeles- The Kings have struggled to score all season, and without a top five penalty kill and a defense that allows less shots on goal than all but one other team, they'd be in trouble.

Without Kopitar, however, they'd be dead in the water. Kopitar nearly single-handedly makes the Kings attack a dangerous one, and is a plus-25, No. 1 for forwards in the NHL. Dustin Brown is the next most positive Kings forward, at plus-15 with 47 points. Kopitar has 72. If the Kings win the division, my vote may swing to Anze.

Jonathan Toews, C, Chicago- It's hard to fathom where Chicago would be without Toews. After winning the Conn Smythe last year, Toews has had to start his heroics early this season, as his Blackhawks fell to 11th in the West in late January and stayed out of the top eight for some time.

Since then, Toews has led the NHL in points and has dragged his underachieving team right back into the division race. Suddenly, the defending champs look as scary as ever, as the thought of an even better Toews makes the Preds, Canucks, Sharks, and Flyers shiver.

Carey Price, G, Montreal- For a team that has played inconsistent and uninspired hockey for much of the season, Carey Price has been just the opposite. A man on a mission after Halak stole the show last year, Price has realized his potential and then some, becoming not only one of the league's most talented netminders, but one of the most determined. Price has been in net for a league leading 34 of Montreal's 39 wins this year, and no other team that allows more shots to get through than the league average allows anywhere close to as few goals as Montreal.

Vezina Trophy Front-Runner

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ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 10: Carey Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens waits for a face off against the St. Louis Blues at the Scottrade Center on March 10, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

Carey Price, G, Montreal

Not only is Price the league's most valuable goaltender, he is also, not coincidentally, the league's best. Price is tied for the NHL lead in games played in net (64), but one must go down the list to No. 10 in Roberto Luongo (54 games played) to find a guy with a better save percentage.

Price leads the league in wins (34), is second in shutouts (eight) and fifth in save percentage. While his stats are Vezina caliber, so are those of three or four other goalies, and Price separates himself in a way that must be observed. He can shut would-be scorers down when they have open space due to his ability to cut off angles and take away the five-hole, but Price's best talent is his unmatched ability to snatch and hold shots or direct rebounds to save spots. He makes big saves in big moments, and his focus makes him one of the world's best athletes.

Other Vezina Trophy Contenders

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DALLAS, TX - FEBRUARY 26: Goaltender Pekka Rinne #35 of the Nashville Predators makes a save against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on February 26, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Pekka Rinne, G, Nashville- Rinne only doesn't get the Vezina because he has a slightly easier task than Carey Price. He has started 10 less games and plays behind a better defensive team.

That being said, Rinne is the biggest reason the Predators are still in the playoff race. His .929 save percentage is second in the NHL and first among the top 15 goalies in games played. He is also second in GAA (2.11) and fourth in shutouts (five). Rinne uses every inch of his 6'5" frame to guard the net, but is also the most athletic, acrobatic big goalie in the league.

Tim Thomas, G, Boston- Statistically speaking, Thomas should run away with the Vezina, and he likely will. His .937 save percentage is miles ahead of the pack, and he also leads the league in GAA (2.08) and is third in shutouts (seven) despite only 48 starts. His 29-10-8 record is exceptional, and if he wins the award, I would have no problem.

Here is why I believe he should not: He is 16th in the league in games played, giving him more rest than Price, Ward, and other workhorses. With more playing time, his numbers could come back down to earth.

Cam Ward, G, Carolina- Ward is as talented and as much of a gamer as any goalie in the league, and if not for his team's disappointing play around him, he'd be in more Vezina conversations. He leads the league in games started and has won 30 of Carolina's 33 games. Carolina allows a league-high 33.4 shots on goal per game. This isn't a bend-don't-break style of play, but rather a very weak defense and a pathetic inability to win defensive zone draws (44.2 faceoff percentage is 29th), coupled with an inability to clear the puck (lead the league in lost draws by over 200), leave Ward the victim of too many rubber bullets. The fact that he remains seventh in the league in save percentage (.921) is truly remarkable, and if Carolina can sneak into the playoffs, he should be an MVP candidate.

Norris Trophy Front-Runner

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SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 8: Shea Weber #6 of the Nashville Predators shoots on goal against the San Jose Sharks in the first period of an NHL hockey game at the HP Pavilion on March 8, 2011 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Shea Weber, D, Nashville

In a league being taken over by ultra-young defensemen, it's easy to think about Shea Weber as a guy in his mid-career prime. Part of this is the fact that Weber's age (25) and years pro (six) are well beyond guys like Drew Doughty, Tyler Myers, and P.K. Subban.

Another reason is that while all of those underage phenoms are, you know, phenoms, Weber is already the complete package, playing dominant, smart, veteran hockey whenever and wherever he is on the ice. He's an offensive force; only the gimmick D-man that is Dustin Byfuglien has more goals than Weber. Weber is fourth in the league in hits by defensemen (No. 1 for any goal scoring defenseman), sixth in takeaways, ninth in total points, and seventh in ice time. Weber neutralizes wingers entering the zone, keeps the puck in, wins every board and neutral zone battle, shoots cannons, QB's the power play, and, at 26, is still getting better.

Other Norris Trophy Contenders

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ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 11: Marc Staal #18 of the New York Rangers reacts after being called for a penalty against the Atlanta Thrashers at Philips Arena on February 11, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Nicklas Lidstrom, D, Detroit- The man's nickname is "Norris", and if he wins it at age 40, it won't be a lifetime achievement award. Lidstrom has truly not lost his edge, and plays like he's in his early 30's physically. However, he is 40, has his name all over the Stanley Cup, and his mental understanding of hockey makes up for his slight lack of burst compared to the kids. Statistically, he backs his reputation up. He's third in the NHL in defensemen assists and points and is tied for second in power play goals.

The only reason he doesn't get the Norris this year is his plus/minus, which is 0.

Zdeno Chara, D, Boston- The Norris Trophy winner of 2008-09, Chara is a one-of-a-kind talent. He is the biggest guy in the NHL at 6'9" and can completely obliterate attackers, using his size to shield their vision, his force to crush them, and his reach to cut off passing lanes. His large frame also makes him the most intimidating offensive blue-line threat in hockey, with a lightning bolt slap shot and crazy keep-in ability. For defensemen, he is fourth in the NHL in ice time, ninth in plus/minus, tied for second in power play goals and first in intimidation factor.

Marc Staal, D, N.Y. Rangers- The field gets incredibly tight after those three, but a closer look reveals that Staal belongs in the Norris conversation. His 46 takeaways are eighth among defensemen, and that number looks even better compared to his 32 giveaways. He's sixth in ice time, and while his seven goals, 26 points, 130 hits, 102 blocks, and plus-seven rating aren't league-leading numbers, they are all good numbers. No other defenseman is as good in all of these categories as Staal, save Shea Weber. For good measure, he leads NHL defensemen with two shorthanded goals.

Calder Trophy Front-Runner

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SAN JOSE, CA - DECEMBER 23: Logan Couture #39 of the San Jose Sharks jumps out of the way of the shot on goal as goalie Jason LaBarbera #1of the Phoenix Coyotes makes the save during the 2nd period of an NHL hockey game at the HP Pavilion on December 23,

Logan Couture, C, San Jose

It's almost not fair to the rest of the field that Logan Couture is a candidate for Calder. He played in 25 games last year, just one less than the rookie qualifying number. He also added 15 games of playoff experience to his resume, and by the beginning of his "rookie" season, he was already considered one of the Sharks top players.

Given that, Couture is a rookie according to the rules and is on a different level than any of his peers. He is second out of all rookies in goals with 27, second in points with 48, second in forward plus/minus, first in power play goals with eight and has twice as many game winners as any other rookie, with eight (fourth overall in the NHL). He's also fourth out of all players with 20 road goals.

As ahead of the pack he is as a big-time goal-scorer, he's equally dominant in all three zones. He's seventh in rookie takeaways, with less giveaways than everyone ahead of him. His 775 face-off wins are 121 more than any other rookie, and his 53 percent on draws is second best. Couture isn't only clearly the best rookie; he's arguably the best player on one of the NHL's best teams.

Other Calder Trophy Contenders

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UNIONDALE, NY - MARCH 11: Michael Grabner #40 of the New York Islanders skates against the Boston Bruins at the Nassau Coliseum on March 11, 2011 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Jeff Skinner, C, Carolina- Skinner, unlike Couture, is a rookie in every sense of the word. The 18-year-old stepped onto NHL ice for the first time this season and leads all rookies in points (52) and assists (27). He's third with 25 goals, and his playmaking ability in the middle makes him look like a future Art Ross candidate. For now, Skinner's production is impressive to say the least, and considering the minus-11 rating of 'Canes captain Eric Staal, Skinner's minus-one is actually very respectable.

Michael Grabner, LW, N.Y. Islanders- For the first half of the season, Grabner, who had nine goals as of January 14, wasn't even in the conversation. In the month beginning on January 15 and ending February 15, Grabner nearly tripled his first half numbers, scoring 16 goals in 15 games. He's added five since and leads all rookies with 30 on the season. He's third in points, is tied with Couture for second among forwards at plus-15 and is first with four shorthanded tallies.

Perhaps his most impressive stat, however, are his rookie-leading 62 takeaways compared to a miniscule 23 giveaways. Grabner's speed, shooting touch, and hockey I.Q. bring to mind a young Teemu Selanne.

John Carlson, D, Washington- Like Couture, Carlson came into this season with solid NHL experience. His 22 regular season games last year saw him rack up a plus-11 rating, and his four point, plus-six performance in the playoffs was certainly not the reason Washington was bounced in seven games. Carlson has picked up where he left off, as his 26 assists and 32 points this year lead rookie defensemen, and his plus-18 rating is second. He gets things done on both ends, leading all rookies with 135 blocked shots and all rookie defensemen with 53 takeaways.