The most esteemed accolades in professional hockey were presented at the NHL awards show on Thursday, with Nathan MacKinnon emerging as the standout winner of the night. The Colorado Avalanche centre clinched the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s MVP and the Ted Lindsay Award as the league’s most outstanding player. MacKinnon, a pivotal force in leading the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup championship two years ago, expressed profound gratitude and astonishment at being inducted into such a prestigious cohort of players.
In addition to MacKinnon’s triumph, three other major awards were conferred on Thursday. Chicago Blackhawks centre Connor Bedard was named the league’s top rookie, securing the Calder Memorial Trophy. Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck secured the Vezina Trophy as the top goalie, and Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks was named the victor of the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the top defenseman.
Levshunov, a talented defenseman hailing from Michigan State University, eagerly anticipates the upcoming NHL draft, where he is projected to be a top-five pick. Standing at an impressive 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Levshunov’s swift skating and top-notch puck skills have sparked great anticipation of his successful transition into the NHL.
UM commit Epperson is set to join Saginaw after spending the last two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program. In coaching news, Grant Potulny is departing Northern Michigan to assume the role of coach for the New York Rangers’ American Hockey League affiliate in Hartford, Connecticut.
The Chicago Blackhawks have made a noteworthy move in acquiring forwards Ilya Mikheyev and Sam Lafferty as well as a 2027 second-round pick from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. Meanwhile, the Anaheim Ducks are embarking on a bold rebranding endeavour by unveiling an orange-centric rendition of the iconic goalie mask in the shape of a duck’s face.
The NHL is abuzz with excitement as the hockey world eagerly anticipates the upcoming season.