With The NHL’s 2025-26 regular season officially getting underway in just one week, Blittner’s Blue Line figures it’s a good time to make some predictions. After all, who doesn’t love predictions? Some may be right and some will be woefully wrong. You can be sure to call us out over our mistakes when the time comes, just as long as you also give us credit if we get any right.
Since we’re saving our full season preview for next week, this week we’ll be making predictions for all of the main, individual, yearly awards. (Sorry, that means no William M. Jennings Trophy, Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, NHL Foundation Award, Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, King Clancy Trophy or Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award). Now, we won’t just give you a straight winner. Instead, we’ll choose two winners, one safe pick and one bold one. Should be fun, right?
Without any further ado, let’s get started.
HART MEMORIAL TROPHY
SAFE: Connor McDavid
Does it get any safer than Connor McDavid? Edmonton’s superstar captain has been named The League’s MVP three times in his career and after finishing a career-worst tenth in Hart Trophy voting last year, you know he’s itching to show he’s still Numero Uno. McDavid has never gone more than three years without winning The Hart Trophy and if he doesn’t win it this year, he’ll match that three-year Hart-less stretch. In a contract year, one in which the eyes of the entire Hockey World are upon him, McDavid winning Hart Trophy Number Four is almost a foregone conclusion.
BOLD: Mitch Marner
The 28-year-old winger is no longer a Toronto Maple Leaf. No, he is now a Vegas Golden Knight and is staring at the possibility of playing on a line with Mark Stone and Jack Eichel. He averages 92 points per 82 games played and has never won a major award in his entire NHL career. Marner is a perennial all-star and one of the best two-way players in the game. Freed from the pressures of playing in Toronto, Marner is well-positioned to have a career-best year and take home MVP honors.
CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY
SAFE: Michael Misa
San Jose’s latest rookie wunderkind is being given every opportunity to break camp with the Sharks and stick around for the entirety of the season. In addition, he should feature prominently in their offense as the number two center behind Macklin Celebrini. He was the Number Two pick in the draft back in June and has the skillset necessary to generate a Calder-winning season.
BOLD: Ryan Leonard
The Washington Capitals have an excellent young forward on their hands. However, he didn’t exactly take the world by storm when he made his NHL Debut last season. Playing in nine regular-season games, Leonard tallied a single goal. Then, in eight post-season games, he recorded one assist. That’s a combined two points in 17 games. Plus, there’s no guarantee that Leonard even receives consistent top-six minutes for the bulk of the season, although it is likely. Still, the 20-year-old has the skills and the moxie to take home The Calder.
VEZINA TROPHY
SAFE: Connor Hellebuyck
Much like McDavid and The Hart Trophy, does it get any safer than the three-time Vezina winner, Connor Hellebuyck? Plus, he’s won it each of the last two seasons, so, as the old saying goes, if you’re going to take aim at the king, you better not miss, because you’re only going to get one chance. Is it asking a lot for Winnipeg’s netminder to remain the best for a third straight year, maybe? But if any goalie in The League is capable, it’s him. (Remember, playoff performances don’t count towards this award).
BOLD: Ilya Sorokin
The Islanders’ stud goaltender is often on the periphery of The Vezina conversation, but this may just be the year he breaks through and claims the crown. Now 30 years old and entering his sixth NHL season, Sorokin has finished in the top eight of Vezina voting for each of the past four seasons. The Islanders figure to again lean heavily on him throughout the season and if he can avoid wearing down later in the year, then he’ll be well-positioned to take home this hardware.
JAMES NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY
SAFE: Cale Makar
The only reason this isn’t as safe a pick as McDavid and Hellebuyck is because of the presence of Quinn Hughes. The oldest Hughes brother has been Makar’s primary opposition for The Norris for several seasons now. And yet, even with all that, Colorado’s unicorn is still the number one choice here. Makar is the reigning Norris Trophy winner; he’s won it twice in the past four seasons and has never finished below ninth in the voting (which happened during his rookie year). As far as defensemen go, this is Cale Makar’s world and we’re all just living in it.
BOLD: Jaccob Slavin
A defensive specialist who doesn’t exactly light it up offensively, Slavin is hands down the best defensive defenseman in The NHL. While he doesn’t always get the respect he deserves because he plays in Carolina, Slavin had all eyes on him during last season’s Four Nations Tournament. Even without gaudy points totals, Slavin still finished eighth in The Norris voting last year. If the voters ever decided to give this award to the best defensive player, then it would go to Slavin every time.
ART ROSS TROPHY
SAFE: Nathan MacKinnon
Colorado’s superstar has finished as the runner-up in the scoring race each of the past two seasons and was fifth in The League three years ago. MacKinnon is not content to remain a bridesmaid forever and he’s going to break through to win this award at some point, so why not this year? To borrow from retiring WWE superstar John Cena, his time is now.
BOLD: Jack Eichel
Remember how we mentioned how Mitch Marner is due for a career year now that he’s lined up to play alongside Jack Eichel and Mark Stone? Well, that works in Eichels’ favor too. Eichel has never had a winger of the caliber of Marner as a steady linemate. Coming off a career-high 94-point season, the soon-to-be 29-year-old (and pending UFA) is primed for a massive year.
FRANK J. SELKE TROPHY
SAFE: Nico Hischier
Aleksander Barkov is out for the year after tearing his ACL and MCL during Training Camp. Patrice Bergeron is retired. Finally, there’s nobody standing in the way of the Devils’ Captain to win this award. Often regarded as one of the best two-way forwards in the sport, Hischier has fallen “victim” to this “reputation-based” award. But now that his two primary opponents are out of the way, his path to the hardware is free and clear.
BOLD: Leon Draisaitl
You may not realize it, thanks to the otherworldly offensive numbers he puts up, but Draisaitl is actually a very impressive defender. Last season, Draisaitl finished sixth in The Selke voting and should again be among The League’s best two-way forwards.
LADY BYNG MEMORIAL TROPHY
SAFE: Anze Kopitar
Another “reputation-based” award, Kopitar is a three-time Lady Byng recipient and, as an added bonus, he’s retiring at the end of this season. (We all know how The NHL likes to honor its legacy players in their final seasons). He’s finished in the top 10 in voting for this award a staggering 10 times in his 19-year career. Season 20 should be no different. Also, can we please, finally, put to bed the myth that this award automatically goes to the player with the fewest penalty minutes?
BOLD: Sidney Crosby
According to The NHL, The Lady Byng criteria is, “Given to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.” If that’s not Crosby, then I don’t know who it is. His 11th-place finish in the award’s voting last year was a career-best and as one of The League’s elder statesmen, don’t be surprised if he finally takes home one of the few awards he’s never won.
JACK ADAMS AWARD
SAFE: Paul Maurice
Usually, The Coach of the Year Award goes to a Head Coach whose team far exceeds expectations. That’s not a rule, that’s just how the voters usually vote. So, given that the Panthers are going for a three-peat, many aren’t likely looking at Maurice as a favorite for this award. However, the run he has guided Florida along is beyond deserving of this recognition. Plus, with Barkov out for the year and Matthew Tkachuk out until sometime around December at the earliest, Maurice will have his work cut out for him trying to guide the Panthers to another championship.
BOLD: Patrick Roy
If you’re looking for a team who could, in theory, exceed expectations, it’s the New York Islanders. Most people are predicting the Isles to finish near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division and to be nowhere near the playoff race. However, if things break the Isles’ way, there is a very conceivable path for them to take towards a wild card spot. If they secure a playoff berth, look for Roy to get a lot of love for this award.
MAURICE RICHARD TROPHY
SAFE: Auston Matthews
A fully healthy Auston Matthews is almost always a lock to lead The League, or finish close to first, in goal scoring. In fact, in his first nine seasons, he’s already led The League in goals three times. Matthews claims he’s fully healthy and is looking forward to getting back to his elite goal-scoring ways. If he is indeed “fully healthy,” it would be foolish to bet against him.
BOLD: Alex Ovechkin
Okay, perhaps saying that a player who has led The League in goals nine times and is The NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer, is not the boldest prediction to make. Then again, he is 40 years old and Father Time surely must catch up with him at some point, right? However, with this being the last year on his contract and rumors swirling that Ovechkin is considering going back to The KHL after this NHL season, would it really surprise anyone if he went out with a bang and led The League in goals one final time?
TED LINDSAY AWARD
SAFE: Connor McDavid
Rinse and repeat with McDavid. He’s the best player in the world and there’s no denying that. If you need further convincing, scroll towards the beginning of this article and see what we said about his MVP chances.
BOLD: Kirill Kaprizov
A dynamite player, when healthy, Kaprizov is already making a lot of noise because of his contract situation. He recently turned down the Wild’s offer to be the highest-paid player in the history of the game. Supposedly, he wants an even higher AAV. If he wants that, then he’s going to need to stay healthy and have an even more electric year than he’s had previously. If he does that, he could very well take home this award.
JIM GREGORY GM OF THE YEAR
SAFE: Bill Zito
How is it possible that Florida has gone to three straight Stanley Cup Finals, winning the last two and their GM hasn’t won this award? Something just doesn’t seem right about that. If the Panthers survive the absences of Barkov and Tkachuk and go back to The Cup Final, it’ll likely have a lot to do with the moves Zito makes, which should make him a shoo-in for this honor.
BOLD: Mathieu Darche
The same arguments we made in favor of Patrick Roy potentially winning The Jack Adams Award apply here to first-year GM Mathieu Darche. If the Islanders exceed expectations, then he is going to get a lot of love for this award.
