Three members of the Winnipeg Jets left the NHL Awards empty handed on Wednesday.
Jets captain Blake Wheeler, goalie Connor Hellebuyck and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff were all finalists for awards but all three lost out.
Wheeler was a finalist for the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award but that was won by Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Derek Engelland. Engelland was one of the teams leaders in their unprecedented success for an expansion franchise. And he was a fixture in the community following a tragic shooting in October. Wayne Simmonds of the Philadelphia Flyers was the other finalist.
Wheeler also finished in eighth place in voting for the Hart Trophy as the most valuable player. He had 32 total votes among the 164 ballots cast including one first place vote and two second place votes.
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Hellebucyk finished in second place for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender. Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne took home that honour with 22 of the 31 first place votes as chosen by the NHL’s general managers. Hellebuyck received seven first place, 14 second place, and five third place votes. The other finalist was Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Hellebuyck also finished 13th in the Hart Trophy balloting with a fourth place and two fifth place votes.
Vegas Golden Knights G.M. George McPhee won the NHL General Manager of the Year Award with 25 of the 31 first place votes. Cheveldayoff was the runner-up with eight first place, 20 second place and seven third place votes. Cheveldayoff was one of the three finalists along with Lightning G.M. Steve Yzerman.
The night wasn’t a complete loss as Wheeler and Hellebuyck were both voted as second team all-stars. It’s the first appearance on an NHL post-season All-Star team for either player.
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Jets forward Kyle Connor finished fourth in voting for the Calder Trophy for the league’s top rookie in voting conducted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Connor received 22 second place votes and 35 third place votes for the award which was won by New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal. He won in a landslide with 160 of the 164 first place votes.
Head coach Paul Maurice also finished in fourth place. Golden Knights bench boss Gerard Gallant was the runaway winner for coach of the year with 102 of the 108 first place votes. Maurice had 12 second place votes and 10 third place votes in the Jack Adams Award voting.
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Jets forward Patrik Laine received two fourth place votes for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship and ability. Mark Scheifele finished in a tie for 26th for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward with a lone fifth place vote.
The NHL Draft is up next with the first round selections scheduled for Friday night.
2018 NHL Award Winners
Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player as voted by the players) – Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
James Norris Memorial Trophy (top defenceman) – Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning)
King Clancy Memorial Trophy (humanitarian award) – Daniel & Henrik Sedin (Vancouver Canucks)
Calder Memorial Trophy (top rookie) – Mathew Barzal (New York Islanders)
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (sportsmanship and ability) – William Karlsson (Vegas Golden Knights)
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (perserverence and dedication) – Brian Boyle (New Jersey Devils)
Frank J. Selke Trophy (top defensive forward) – Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings)
Jack Adams Award (top head coach) – Gerard Gallant (Vegas Golden Knights)
Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award – Derek Engelland (Vegas Golden Knights)
Vezina Trophy (top goaltender) – Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators)
NHL General Manager of the Year Award – George McPhee (Vegas Golden Knights)
Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award (positive impact on community) – Darcy Haugan (Humboldt Broncos)
Hart Trophy (most valuable player to his team) – Taylor Hall (New Jersey Devils)
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