The NHLPA has announced the nominees for the 2024 Ted Lindsay Award. Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews are all up for the award this year.
The Ted Lindsay Award, which is voted on by the members of the NHLPA, is given annually to “the most outstanding player in the NHL.” Kucherov took home the award in 2019, and Matthews won it in 2022. MacKinnon is still looking for his first Ted Lindsay Award win.
Kucherov is coming off a career season in Tampa Bay in which he set new career highs in assists (100) and points (144). Those 144 points have already given Kucherov the second Art Ross Trophy of his career as the top point-scorer in the NHL. Kucherov is also a nominee for the Hart Trophy as the league MVP.
Matthews fell just shy of the 70-goal mark in 2023-24, finishing the season with 69 tallies. That led the league by a relatively wide margin of 12 goals and gave Matthews the third Rocket Richard Trophy win of his career. In addition to lighting the lamp at a torrid pace, Matthews also posted some solid defensive impacts and won the respect of his peers in the process.
MacKinnon was a man on a mission this season, and he set new career highs in goals (51), assists (89), and points (140). That point total blew MacKinnon’s previous career high of 111 out of the water. There were stretches of the regular season in which MacKinnon carried an Avalanche roster that was plagued by injury or inconsistency, and he produced the best year of his already impressive career.
The winner of the Ted Lindsay Award will be announced at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas next month.
The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) has announced the nominees for the 2024 Ted Lindsay Award, which is given annually to the league’s most outstanding player as voted on by the players themselves. This year, the three finalists are Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, and Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Auston Matthews has had a standout season for the Maple Leafs, leading the league in goals scored and putting up impressive numbers on a consistent basis. His offensive prowess and ability to create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates have made him a force to be reckoned with on the ice.
Nathan MacKinnon, on the other hand, has been a key player for the Avalanche, leading the team in points and playing a crucial role in their success this season. His speed, skill, and hockey IQ have made him one of the most dynamic players in the league, and his ability to take over games and make an impact in all areas of the ice has not gone unnoticed by his peers.
Nikita Kucherov, the final nominee for the Ted Lindsay Award, has been a consistent offensive threat for the Lightning, leading the team in points and showcasing his elite playmaking abilities throughout the season. His ability to control the pace of the game and create scoring chances for himself and his teammates has made him a valuable asset for Tampa Bay.
All three players have had exceptional seasons and have proven themselves to be among the best in the league. The winner of the Ted Lindsay Award will be announced at the NHL Awards ceremony later this year, but no matter who takes home the trophy, it is clear that Matthews, MacKinnon, and Kucherov have all made a significant impact on their teams and the league as a whole.
