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

[Pi]

f***ing knew it. Matthews would get the Ted Lindsay nom and miss the Hart. Players know what’s up.

Even the PWHA knows what’s up when it came to the Selke but I’m assuming Edmonton voters left out Matthews entirely to make sure McDavid gets the Hart nomination.

A guy who scored 69 goals was nominated for the Selke. Ridiculously underrated here.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Nope. One off. While being a Selke nominee. That plus having the highest goal scoring season in 30 years usually gets you some respect from the players.

For sure. Mack is still winning the Ted though and we all know McDavid had an off year.

 

[LivingRentFree]

For sure. Mack is still winning the Ted though and we all know McDavid had an off year.

Mack probably will win! I’m totally cool with that. I’m pumped that my boy is Rocket Richard winner and Selke/Lindsay nominee. You don’t see the same player nominated for all 3 very often! (Actually, has it even happened before? Not that I can think of off the top of my head )

 

[CN8]

I got no problem with Matthews
You could tell he put everything he had into this regular season

 

[Rob Brown]

Mack probably will win! I’m totally cool with that. I’m pumped that my boy is Rocket Richard winner and Selke/Lindsay nominee. You don’t see the same player nominated for all 3 very often! (Actually, has it even happened before? Not that I can think of off the top of my head )

Don't forget the Lady Byng, the most important of them all.

 

[22FUTON9]

Honestly who comes 3rd/4th was gonna be a toss up for the hart/lindsay
We all knew Mack and Kuch were gonna finish 1,2 and it wasn’t going to be close, regardless of whoever came third

 

[GirardSpinorama]

And this year?

These awards are given out yearly.

When was the last time that 69+ was hit?

100+ assists?

Goals: 1st = 69, 2nd = 57
Assists: 1st = 100, 2nd = 100

Assists looks like a far bigger accomplishment?

Also, lost in all this, Matthews is a Selke finalist too.

Only if you ignore the fact that Matthews only has 107 points. Which is relatively pedestrian.

And yes, 100 assist is more rare. Its impossible to say what is harder.

 

[LivingRentFree]

Don't forget the Lady Byng, the most important of them all.

With how fantastic he is defensively, to also be nominated for this award is actually even more impressive

 

[pcruz]

Uh, theres been a 60+ goal scorer every season for the last 3 seasons.

This is a bad argument for your side:


60 goals is to 69 goals, the same as 87 assists is to 100.


There have been 5 87+ assist seasons since Matthews entered the league.
There have been 4 60+ goal seasons in that same time period.


In fact, since 2000/01, there have been 6 instances of 60+ goals scored, and 7 instances of 87 assists.


There's almost no actual argument for whether scoring 70 goals or 100 assists is the harder achievement, as they're both essentially equally rare.

 

[Rob Brown]

And yes, 100 assist is more rare. Its impossible to say what is harder.

I would argue that although 100 assists is not easy or common by any means, given that there are secondary assists, in theory it's easier to rack up assists than it is goals.

 

[Jojalu]

When McDavid Won the Lindsey leaf fans said the Heart was more important then as expected--the Lindsey is more important

When did that happen?

 

[Byron Bitz]

Haha sorry to Edmonton fans and the rabid Leaf haters but for the 2nd time in 3 years the people that actually play this game at the highest level view Matthews as a better player than McDavid.

 

[Three On Zero]

Right people for the finalists, no issues with any of them

 

[notbias]

Only if you ignore the fact that Matthews only has 107 points. Which is relatively pedestrian.

And yes, 100 assist is more rare. Its impossible to say what is harder.

Well, one thing happened twice this year and the other had a 12-goal gap... I'd say that scoring as harder, at least this year.

If McDavid plays Selke level, does he have that gap?

McDavid's 32 goals are also rather pedestrian...

 

[Dion TheFluff]

good to see that the players knew who the top 3 players were this season.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

In what world was Matthews a better player than McDavid?

It’s who had the best season .

 

[LivingRentFree]

It’s who had the best season .

To be fair, Matthews was better 2 of the last 3 seasons, and there are a lot of people that aren’t going to be ok with that

 

[Hockey Outsider]

MacKinnon is now a Lindsay finalist for the 3rd time (2018, 2020, and now 2024). Note that he was a finalist for the Hart in 2021, but not for the Lindsay. He has no wins (so far).

Matthews is also a finalist for the 3rd time (2021, 2022 and now 2024). He has one win (2022).

Kucherov is a finalist for the 2nd time (2019 and now 2024). He has one win (2019).

We have the full list of finalists back to 1997. The only players with 3+ nominations are Ovechkin, Crosby and McDavid (6x); Jagr (5x confirmed - he probably was a finalist in 1995 as well); Hasek (3x confirmed - he could have been a finalist in 1994 and/or 1995); and Malkin, Matthews and McKinnon (3x).

 

[Roksta]

Most Outstanding Player to run from the locker room to the golf greens

 

[Jojalu]

It’s who had the best season .

Which is exactly right.

McDavid is the better player. Injuries hampered his start.

Which is why he should be ahead of Matthews for the Hart.

He dragged his team from the basement after he got healthy .

Matthews scoring 69, and being nominated for the Selke, regardless of how you feel about the voters is an impressive season.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Mcdavid was the 4th best player. No shame in that. Hes just not mario or wayne and thats ok

 

[KaN19]

A couple years ago when McDavid got snubbed for the Hart in favour of Hall every Oilers fan was screaming from the rooftops about how the Lindsay is more valuable than the Hart. "Journalists are driven by narratives" they said, "players know best."

Now the same Oiler fans are in here malding arguing the players don't know what they're talking about.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

All 3 are deserving finalists. I think McDavid should have probably been there too but it’s hard to quibble too much. It’s likely between Mack and Kucherov anyways.

 

[dalewood12]

I'm assuming McDavid finished fourth.

Who do you reckon was fifth? Hellebuyck? Crosby? Panarin?

 

[notbias]

Most Outstanding Player to run from the locker room to the golf greens

Matthews didn't even do it the fastest out of the nominated players (2 years in a row)...

I wish the unfunny and uncreative jokes at least had some truth to them.