NHL Awards Watch: Benn, Lundqvist state cases at the quarter point
It's early in the NHL season, but the contenders have begun separating themselves from the pretenders in the NHL Awards races.
Some familiar faces are back where they belong, but there are a few surprises as we move into the second quarter of the season.
While the awards aren't handed out after 20-plus games, here's a look at the players who should win and those who deserve consideration for the five biggest honors:
Hart Trophy - Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars
The Stars captain is the biggest reason Dallas has won five straight games to tie the Montreal Canadiens for the league's best record. Benn has four goals and four assists during the Stars' five-game win streak, leapfrogging Patrick Kane for top spot in the goal-scoring race.
Kane is a strong candidate in his own right, with a league-best 32 points in 21 games, but the Blackhawks are fifth in the ultra-competitive Central Division and seventh in the Western Conference.
Honorable mentions: Henrik Lundqvist has to be considered for lifting the possession-starved New York Rangers to first place in the Metropolitan Division, while Benn's teammate Tyler Seguin ranks fourth in goals, second in assists, and second in points. Benn, Kane, and Lundqvist would be three deserving nominees.
Vezina Trophy - Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
Lundqvist is tied for the league lead with 11 wins and has the NHL's best GAA (1.85) and save percentage (.943) among qualified starters. He's done it while facing the most shots (522, for an average of 32.6), and his 5-on-5 save percentage (.963) is the best in the league.
Honorable mentions: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen and San Jose Sharks netminder Martin Jones would be worthy nominees at this point. After entering the season in a timeshare, Allen seized the No. 1 job, going 9-4-1 with a 2.05 GAA, a .930 save percentage, and three shutouts in 15 games for the Blues, who sit second in the West.
Jones is tied for the league lead with 11 wins and three shutouts. He also put together a franchise-record shutout streak earlier in the season, his first with the Sharks after being acquired in the offseason.
Carey Price was in the conversation prior to missing three weeks with an injury, and his case to repeat as Vezina Trophy winner was only temporarily derailed.
James Reimer deserves some consideration for his remarkable run early on, but the Toronto Maple Leafs likely won't make the playoffs, so his chances are slim.
Norris Trophy - John Klingberg, Dallas Stars
The Stars defenseman has been the best player at his position so far, leading all blue-liners with 19 assists, 23 points, and 10 points on the power play.
Klingberg also has an impressive 54.02 even-strength Corsi For percentage according to War-On-Ice, meaning the Stars have generated more shot attempts than they've allowed with Klingberg on the ice. The 23-year-old is off to a terrific start in his second season after a 40-point rookie campaign.
Honorable mentions: Erik Karlsson is pushing to repeat as the Norris Trophy winner, ranking second behind Klingberg with 22 points while logging the third highest average ice time in the NHL. The Ottawa Senators star has a legitimate shot to win this award for a third time.
Ryan Suter is averaging 27:39 in ice time for the Minnesota Wild to lead all NHL skaters. He's also notched a point per game and sits third behind Klingberg and Karlsson with 19.
Calder Trophy - Artemi Panarin, Chicago Blackhawks
Panarin isn't new to pro hockey, but he's a first-year NHLer who has obliterated expectations early on.
The 24-year-old leads all rookies with 14 assists and 21 points, and he's thriving on the league's most dominant second line alongside Patrick Kane and Artem Anisimov. Panarin is logging the third highest average time on ice (19:11) in the rookie class, leading all forwards.
Honorable mentions: Arizona Coyotes forward Max Domi and Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings are right behind Panarin in the rookie points race, so they're deserving nominees. Jack Eichel has only 10 points in 20 games, but the second overall pick leads all rookies with 67 shots on goal.
Jack Adams Award - Peter DeBoer, San Jose Sharks
DeBoer is keeping the Sharks on task in his first season behind the bench in San Jose, and he returned from a personal matter Sunday to help them complete their longest perfect road trip in franchise history.
The Sharks missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2003, but they look like a completely different team under DeBoer, who has them sitting third in the West.
Honorable mentions: The Stars have taken a huge leap forward under Lindy Ruff this season, and he'll be a no-brainer nominee if they continue to push for the NHL's best record. Senators head coach Dave Cameron also warrants consideration with Ottawa sitting comfortably at fourth in the East.