Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon on Thursday was named a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award, given annually to the NHL’s most outstanding player voted by members of the NHL Players' Association.
Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and New Jersey’s Taylor Hall are the other finalists.
The winner will be announced at the 2018 NHL Awards ceremony on June 20 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
MacKinnon finished fifth in the league in scoring with 97 points (39 goals, 58 assists) in 74 games and helped the Avalanche make the playoffs for the first time in four years.
He was second in points per game (1.31) and had 12 game-winning goals, tying him with Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point for most in the league.
The votes for the 2017-18 Ted Lindsay Award are in. The players have selected Taylor Hall, Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid as the three finalists. https://t.co/JrngTVMuyg #TLA #NHLPA pic.twitter.com/5Sd16msYdm
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) April 26, 2018
McDavid, who won the award last season, was the NHL’s leading scorer with 108 points (41 goals, 67 assists) in 82 games. He led led the league in points per game (1.32).
Hall helped the Devils reach the playoffs for the first time since 2011-12. He had 93 points (39 goals, 54 assists) in 76 games.
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I’m a day late on this, had some serious dental work done Wednesday, but kudos to the Avalanche’s Jared Bednar for being named one of three finalists for the Jack Adams Award, given annually to the NHL Coach of the year.
League broadcasters, who vote on the award, also named Vegas Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant and Boston Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy as finalists. The award is named after the longtime coach and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings.
Bednar led the Avalanche to one of the best single-season turnarounds in league history. After finishing a dismal 22-54-4 for 48 points in 2016-17, the Avalanche nearly doubled that total by going 43-30-9 for 95 points this season.
The Avalanche made their first playoff appearance since 2013-14 in Patrick Roy’s first season as coach when they finished first in the Central Division with 52 wins and 112 points before losing a first-round series to the Minnesota Wild in seven games.
Roy became the second coach in Quebec/Colorado history to win the Jack Adams Award, joining the Nordiques’ Marc Crawford (1994-95).
The Avalanche, who earned the second wild card in the Western Conference, lost their first-round series to the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Nashville Predators in six games.
General manager Joe Sakic said Monday that he and Bednar have reached agreement on a one-year contract extension through the 2019-20 season.
“He’s done an amazing job, the entire staff,… Sakic said. “Working with the players, the respect that the coaching staff and the players have for one another, they did an amazing job in keeping this team at an even keel and never letting it slip. We really believe in Jared, we think he’s a great coach and he’s done a tremendous job."
Gallant coached the first-year Golden Knights to a first-place finish in the Pacific Division with a 51-24-7 record and 109 points. They became the first modern-era expansion team from any of the four North American professional sports leagues to win a division in their first season.
The Golden Knights swept the Los Angeles Kings in their first-round series and opened second-round play Thursday against the San Jose Sharks.
Cassidy coached the Bruins to a 50-20-12 record and 112 points. They were second in the Atlantic Division and defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games in their first-round series. They open second-round play Saturday against Tampa Bay.
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Roy on Thursday signed a two-year contract as general manager and coach of the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
He bought the Remparts in 1997, took over as GM in 2003-04 and became coach 2005-06 when they won the Memorial Cup. He continued in those roles until joining the Avalanche as coach and vice president of hockey operations on May 24, 2013.
The Avalanche went 130-92-24 in three seasons under Roy before he quit on Aug. 11, 2016, saying in a press release he didn’t have enough input into player personnel decisions.
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The defending ECHL Kelly Cup champion Colorado Eagles begin second round playoff play Saturday against the Idaho Steelheads at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo., about 50 miles north of Denver.
The Eagles will replace the San Antonio Rampage as their American Hockey League affiliate in 2018-19.
The Eagles defeated the Wichita Thunder in six games in the first round. They’ll open the second round Saturday and Sunday at home against Idaho.