The NHL Players’ Association has announced the finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, which is awarded annually to the NHL’s most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the players.
The finalists are Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators.
2022 Ted Lindsay Award finalists, as voted by @NHLPA players: Roman Josi (NSH), Auston Matthews (TOR) and Connor McDavid (EDM).
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) May 13, 2022
McDavid and Matthews are also finalists for the Hart Trophy for the league’s most valuable player as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The other Hart finalist is New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin.
McDavid is looking for the fourth Ted Lindsay Award of his career. He won last season after scoring 105 points in the 56-game shortened season and he won in back-to-back years in 2016-17 and 2017-18. Wayne Gretzky has the most Ted Lindsay/Lester B. Pearson Awards with five while Mario Lemieux has four.
Neither Matthews nor Josi has won the award yet in their respective careers. Matthews set a Maple Leafs franchise record and led the league with 60 goals this season while Josi’s 96 points represented the most in a season by a defenseman since Ray Bourque scored 91 points in 1993-94.
The winners of the NHL Awards will be announced during the conference Finals and the Stanley Cup final.