2023-24 Ted Lindsay Award finalists: Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews

[Richardbro]

Matthews and McDavid were close this year in terms of impact. I mean, Mcdavid was 3rd in points and Matthews was first in goals, afterall. I don't see a problem with him getting nominated. His playoff drop-off has nothing to do with regular season awards.

That said Kucherov or Mckinnon will win anyway, who cares.

 

[12ozPapa]

Go ahead and cope

Lol

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Ummm Selke calibre defence means SELKE calibre defence. I don’t know how to make that more clearer for you. The guy is literally a top 3 Selke finalist over everyone in the NHL. What do you think that means?

I think it means you block shots, get takeaways, and kill some penalties while scoring a lot of points. That’s who has won the award historically. Matthews doesn’t kill enough penalties to win the award though, so his nomination is really just media gaining access.

The award does not mean ‘best defensive forward’ and Matthews isn’t even the best defensive forward on his own team.

 

[Calderon]

One would think the Lindsay/Pearson award carries even more weight and prestige as the votes are from the players themselves. I took a look at past winners. Gretzky, while having the most ever at five, has probably the most glaring omission ever: he lost the vote to Lemieux in 1986 after posting the still-standing regular season points record, 215; Mario had 141 points. Then you have names like Mike Liut and Jean Ratelle both of whom won the Pearson but not a Hart.

What I get from this is a sense of inclusion, awarding the "new guy" and the old voting fatigue. That's why I was surprised to learn that since 1970-71, the launch of the Lester B. Pearson award, the number of different players who have won it is exactly the same (30) as the number of different Hart Trophy winners starting from 1970-71.

I guess players want to refrain of raising one of their peers to a god-like status. McDavid is at four Lindsays, it'll be interesting to see whether he can win more than five.

 

[Leaf Fans]

The award does not mean ‘best defensive forward’ and Matthews isn’t even the best defensive forward on his own team.

The Selke is awarded to the forward "who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game."

 

[AgeIess]

So happy McDavid didn't make it into this list. I'd have gone on suicide watch.

 

[Leaf Fans]

So happy McDavid didn't make it into this list. I'd have gone on suicide watch.

Why? He is the best player in the world.

 

[TheLegend27]

Well. The players seem to agree, and the awards seem to agree.


Easy to play playoff games against weak competition and 3rd string goalies. The dudes missed the playoffs a bunch and been swept twice when it mattered.

I guess Championship Vegas and Colorado are “weak competition” nowadays. Maybe it takes others stepping to win a cup in a team sport?.

 

[pcruz]

More players have done what Matthews did in the history of the NHL than what Kucherov/McDavid did.

If it's so much easier to get that many assists, then why is it a more exclusive club than Matthews scoring 69 goals?

Wrong.

0 people did what Matthews did this past season, ever!


There has never been an instance where the player who scores the most goals in the league is also one of the 3 best defensive forwards.

It's possible, albeit extremely unlikely, that Matthews actually won the Selke.
That would make it the single greatest individual season ever, after the ridiculous Wayne and Mario seasons of course....and can we really count those?


It's all but guaranteed that Barkov won the Selke, and then the debate becomes Staal or Matthews for 2nd.

The closest instance ever to rival this dominant 2 way play, wad 1985 when Jari Kurri scored 68 goals to lead the league, and finished 5th in Selke voting. Of course, it was one of those ridiculous Wayne seasons where he amassed 163 assists and 215 points.

I would venture a guess that Kurri made the most out of those 163 apples...........

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

The Selke is awarded to the forward "who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game."

And it has historically gone to a forward that scores a decent amount of points as well. Notice how it doesn’t say ‘has the highest impact on the defensive end’ because he doesn’t kill that many penalties, and he isn’t that responsible with the puck. While he is a leader in takeaways, he is also a leader in giveaways.

 

[CanadienShark]

lol

Both McD and Matthews have won zero conference final games in their careers. What's the excuse in Edmonton?

McDavid is dominant in the playoffs year in, year out. Matthews is not.

 

[acor]

LOL, no McDavid in top3 automatically disqualifies any award from being considered serious.

"BuT pLaYerS KnoW BeTTer, tHeir oPinion iS alWAys rIGht!!!!!11111".

 

[Buck Naked]

There has never been an instance where the player who scores the most goals in the league is also one of the 3 best defensive forwards.

Correct. And it still never happened.

 

[Leaf Fans]

And it has historically gone to a forward that scores a decent amount of points as well. Notice how it doesn’t say ‘has the highest impact on the defensive end’ because he doesn’t kill that many penalties, and he isn’t that responsible with the puck. While he is a leader in takeaways, he is also a leader in giveaways.

He representing the antecedent for Matthews?

 

[Dust]

It'll be interesting to see who takes it between Kucherov and Mackinnon. Someone had to be the 3rd nominee but I think there's a pretty big gulf between #2 and #3 whether it was Matthews, McDavid or Helle.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

"The writers know better!"

I already know a ton of people are going to be upset.

I think the players respect goals a lot.

Would have had no issue with McDavid over Matthews.



It always has.



"I know more than the players"

I was thinking the same, they know how hard it is to score, particularly that much.

 

[Tiredswede]

Wasn’t marner a finalist last year?

Lots of 200 ft players on that team. I bet they do great in the playoffs

 

[Maplebeasts]

How much of the season did Matthews play with Marner and Nylander?

I’ll give you a hint: it’s infinitely more than Pastrnak did, and he still outscored him.

The same applies to Kucherov, who VASTLY put scored him.

But again, “greatest season of all time”

It obviosuly isn't the greatest season of all time. However you can go ask any GM in the league if they'd rather have Matthers or Pastrnak hell even ask all of the players and I guarantee you a vast majority don't pick Pastrnak. . All your demonstrating here is that your understanding of hockey begins and ends with point totals.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Wasn’t marner a finalist last year?

Lots of 200 ft players on that team. I bet they do great in the playoffs

Yup, but unfortunately, they didn't do great in the playoffs.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

It obviosuly isn't the greatest season of all time. However you can go ask any GM in the league if they'd rather have Matthers or Pastrnak hell even ask all of the players and I guarantee you a vast majority don't pick Pastrnak. . All your demonstrating here is that your understanding of hockey begins and ends with point totals.

David Pastrnak voted NHL's best winger in ESPN survey of players, execs

Who’s the best winger in the NHL? Well, according to an ESPN survey of players and executives from around the NHL, it’s Bruins superstar David Pastrnak.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

This was just last year, Pasta was thought higher of than Kucherov. Pasta is extremely highly regarded. I don’t know if they would take him above Matthews, but it would be close. Pasta usually outscored Matthews and leads his team further in the playoffs.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Yup, but unfortunately, they didn't do great in the playoffs.

Why do we feel this way? I thought that series was tilted toward the leafs before Woll went down. I think Matthews started on the 3rd line in game 7 as well right? Idk either way that was a fantastic first round matchup.

 

[crowfish]

McDavid must have hurt too many egos to get votes on this. He has made a lot of defenders look dumb over the years.

 

[nbwingsfan]

It obviosuly isn't the greatest season of all time. However you can go ask any GM in the league if they'd rather have Matthers or Pastrnak hell even ask all of the players and I guarantee you a vast majority don't pick Pastrnak. . All your demonstrating here is that your understanding of hockey begins and ends with point totals.

And everyone would rather have McDavid over Kucherov despite the better season.

The point is this is absolutely no where close to the “best season of all time”. It’s not even the best season this year

 

[Oscar The Grouch]

Wrong.

0 people did what Matthews did this past season, ever!

Lots of players have choked in the playoffs.

 

[FrozenJagrt]

6th in league scoring.. THIRTYSEVEN points behind the leader…

Leaf fans: Greatest Regular season ever ???

Looks to me like the post said "one of the greatest regular seasons of our time". So either you can't read or you're being disingenuous.