Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews and Edmonton Oilers centre Connor McDavid are two of the finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, the NHL’s most outstanding player award as voted on by fellow players.
Nashville Predators defenceman Roman Josi is the third finalist.
Matthews, who earned this season’s Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading goal-scorer, registered career highs with 60 goals and 46 assists.
His 60 goals were a team record as well as a single-season record for most goals scored by a U.S.-born player.
McDavid, who claimed his fourth Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top scorer this season, established career highs with 44 goals and 79 assists.
Josi led all NHL defenceman with 96 points, which was franchise record and a single-season record for points recorded by a European defenceman.
Matthews and McDavid, who has won the Lindsay Award three previous times, are also nominated for the Hart Memorial Trophy, the NHL’s most valuable player award, along with New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin.
McDavid is looking to join Hall of Famers Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky as the only players to receive the award, previously known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, four or more times.
This year’s Lindsay winner will be announce sometime during the Stanley Cup playoffs.