On Thursday morning, the NHL announced the finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award for Most Outstanding Player of the year, as voted on by the NHL Players Association. The finalists for this season are Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid and Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane.
Patrick Kane, Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid named Ted Lindsay Finalists
Since the award began in the 1970–71 season, then known as the Lester B. Pearson award, only one Blackhawks player has ever won the award, and it was Kane in his MVP season in 2015–16. This is Kane’s second time being named a finalist, the first nomination for Kucherov and the third nomination in a row for McDavid. McDavid has won the award the last two seasons.
Patrick Kane has been named a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the most outstanding player in the @NHL as voted by the @NHLPA! pic.twitter.com/cYrrUBqH6s
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 25, 2019
The Chicago Blackhawks missed the postseason for the second consecutive season for the first time since Kane’s rookie season in 2007–08. Individually for Kane, he posted career highs in assists (66) and points (110) this season, while also putting up his second-highest total for goals (44) in a season. Kane’s 35 goals and 45 assists at even strength this season were also career highs. It all makes sense when taking into consideration that, at 30 years old, Kane averaged 22:29 minutes of ice time per game this season, also a career high.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Kane finished third in the NHL in points with 110, six points behind McDavid (116), and 18 points behind league-leader Kucherov (128) this season. His 66 assists placed him sixth in the NHL while McDavid had 75 assists for second in the league behind Kucherov, who led the league with 87 helpers. Kane’s 44 goals put him at fifth in the league and at the highest total of the Ted Lindsay finalist group.
In four of the last five years in the NHL, the Ted Lindsay Award winner and Hart Memorial Trophy winner as league MVP have been awarded to the same player. Only last year saw the Ted Lindsay award go to Connor McDavid while Taylor Hall was named the Hart Trophy winner.
The Ted Lindsay Award winner will be announced at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas on June 19.