NHL 2025-26 awards predictions for Hart, Norris, Jack Adams and more

AtlanticBruinsCanadiensLightningMaple LeafsPanthersRed WingsSabresSenatorsMetropolitanBlue JacketsCapitalsDevilsFlyersHurricanesIslandersPenguinsRangersCentralAvalancheBlackhawksBluesJetsMammothPredatorsStarsWildPacificCanucksDucksFlamesGolden KnightsKingsKrakenOilersSharksScores & ScheduleStandingsPodcastsFantasyNHL OddsNHL PicksNHL playoff predictionsBracketStanley Cup tiersNHL Draft rankingRed Light NewsletterNHL Playoffs Who will take home the top NHL awards this season? Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Cameron Bartlett, Patrick Smith / Getty Images, Timothy T. Ludwig / Imagn Images Share articleWith the Stanley Cup playoffs underway, the regular season is officially in the rearview mirror. When The Athletic asked its NHL staff to make award predictions in the 2025-26 preseason, Connor McDavid was the clear favorite for the Hart Trophy. Now the MVP race seems to have a few legitimate candidates. Cale Makar was the clear No. 1 for the Norris Trophy. Now the honor for best defenseman has a new front-runner. Who will win? We asked our staff for their end-of-season predictions for the Hart, Norris, Vezina, Selke, Calder and Jack Adams. To analyze and critique the picks, we’ve brought in senior writers Sean Gentille, James Mirtle and Mark Lazerus and analytics know-it-all Shayna Goldman. !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("[id='datawrapper-chart-Q4S1P']");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r Lazerus: It would have been interesting to see these results if the Sharks had made the playoffs. Goldman: Macklin Celebrini should still get top-three votes, regardless. McDavid’s last couple of months sealed his No. 1 placement for me, though. Mirtle: Yeah, I went with McDavid, too. He’s won the Hart three times so far; here’s hoping it’s not voter fatigue that holds him back from piling up at least three or four more. Gentille: Is Kevyn Adams eligible here? !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("[id='datawrapper-chart-S5Vgl']");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r Lazerus: The Norris ballot was brutally difficult this year. But it feels like it’s Zach Werenski’s “turn.” Also, he’s great. Goldman: This vote does not reflect at all what a close race it is this year. Between Werenski, Makar, Rasmus Dahlin and Moritz Seider, there is no wrong answer. Mirtle: Another vote for Werenski, who was right there last year and is such a force for that team. Gentille: Werenski laid the groundwork for this last season. He’s great. No complaints. !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("[id='datawrapper-chart-1mVrU']");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r Lazerus: Remember, the GMs vote on this, not the writers. Andrei Vasilevskiy has the most wins, so he’ll get the Vezina. Goldman: That’s the thing — I think it should probably be Jeremy Swayman (Ilya Sorokin’s play over the last month probably knocks him out of the top slot) here. But what I think doesn’t matter, because this one gets picked incorrectly pretty often. Mirtle: I picked Swayman and it looks like he only received one vote. I agree it’s unlikely he wins, so I probably didn’t answer this properly, but he was such a huge part of the Bruins' rebound. Gentille: This was Sorokin’s to lose, and then he lost it. !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("[id='datawrapper-chart-zLdOH']");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r Lazerus: Nick Suzuki is great. He’s also 11th among Canadiens (seventh among forwards) in short-handed ice time. Can you really be the league’s best defensive forward if you don’t kill penalties? Mitch Marner’s the guy here. Goldman: How about some Yanni Gourde appreciation? Or Jack Eichel. All should be getting some love as well. Mirtle: But also, can you be the league’s best defensive forward if you don’t get the toughest matchups? Eichel handled a lot more of those than Marner this year in Vegas. (I picked Suzuki, then Eichel.) !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("[id='datawrapper-chart-gk7DH']");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r Lazerus: Sorry, everybody else. You should have picked a different year to be born. Goldman: He set the bar astronomically high this year. You could really flip a coin between Matthew Schaefer and Sorokin as the Isles’ MVPs this year. Mirtle: We should have voted on who gets second for this one. Dobes? Gentille: Someone from Philly is putting Porter Martone on their ballot, right? Kurz, I know you’re reading this. !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("[id='datawrapper-chart-OR1ca']");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r Lazerus: Remember, the broadcasters pick this one. And the broadcasters love Rick Tocchet. Goldman: For the vibes, Lindy Ruff is a fun pick. But Dan Muse should get more appreciation here. He should, but he won’t. Mirtle: This is a rough one to pick, but I muse that Cooper is long overdue for this. Gentille: Remember Rick Bowness? Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms