It’s almost the middle of August, and conversations about this coming season are in full swing. Roster projections, prospect speculation, goaltending situations, and other things have become the focus and now it’s time to discuss what Minnesota Wild players could contend for NHL Awards this season. Of course, everyone knows the first name on the list, Kirill Kaprizov, but who will the others be?
Joel Eriksson Ek has been snubbed by the NHL for the last few seasons when it comes to the famed Selke Trophy. Will he finally win it this season? Could Jonas Brodin be considered for the Norris Trophy, even though it typically goes to someone with more points? And there’s always Jared Spurgeon who could be eligible for the Lady Byng Trophy as he is quite gentlemanly most of the time. We’ll take a quick look at each of these candidates and discuss why they could be winners. First up is, of course, “Kirill the Thrill”.
Kaprizov or McDavid?
The battle of the 97s will be back in action this season, hopefully with two fully healthy players ready to go. Last season the Hart Memorial Trophy, the Ted Lindsay Award, and the Art Ross Trophy all belonged to the Edmonton Oilers No. 97, Connor McDavid. That comes as no surprise, however, in 2021-22 Kaprizov was just 15 points behind McDavid and he was just getting started before time ran out on the season.
Obviously, as everyone knows, Kaprizov’s pursuit of McDavid hit a roadblock when he was hit with an injury that knocked him out for a month. While it’s unlikely he would’ve gotten McDavid’s 153 points last season, he could’ve gotten close. That’s what makes this coming season exciting, he’ll be on the rebound and looking to show he’s back in action.
It may seem difficult to imagine Kaprizov winning any of those awards, but it’s not out of the question. He has the talent level to hit those numbers but he’ll need help from his teammates to get all the way there. It’ll be interesting to see how many points these two players can get and hopefully, Kaprizov will blow past my bold prediction of 120 points minimum for him this season.
Eriksson Ek Long-Awaited Selke
Out of all the players on this list, Eriksson Ek has been snubbed too many times. He’s easily the Wild’s best defensive forward and one of the most underrated in the league. While Wild fans give him the credit he deserves, he’s overlooked a lot by everyone else. He has great offensive talent that he proved was no fluke with back-to-back seasons of 40-plus points.
He had a decent number of blocked shots over those two seasons but what was really impressive about his defense was his high number of takeaways. He had 30 the first season and 44 this past season which was three times the number of giveaways he had. Eriksson Ek knows when to prioritize defense and offense at the right times and he deserves recognition for it.
While the Selke Trophy typically goes to the highest-scoring forward and not the biggest defensive impact, in Eriksson Ek’s case, he is the definition of that trophy. Hopefully this next season, more people will notice his talents and reward him for it.
Brodin Deserves Recognition
Another player that is highly underrated and doesn’t get noticed is Brodin. He is by far the Wild’s best defensive defenseman but again, no one outside the team’s circle knows it. Just like Eriksson Ek, he is the definition of the Norris Trophy but it usually goes to the player who has the most points even if that’s not the true definition of the award. He didn’t deliver many hits but he stepped up big in blocked shots with 126 in 2021-22 and 130 this past season.
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He’s one of a handful of Wild players that will throw his body in front of any shot and rarely gets caught out of position. He doesn’t show a lot of offensive power but he does have a small flair every now and then. It would be great to see Brodin win the Norris as a true defensive defenseman who doesn’t always have to score goals but protects his own net first and foremost.
Spurgeon the Gentleman
That leaves the final player on the list who’s known for his gentlemanly style on and off the ice. That player is their beloved captain Jared Spurgeon and while he’s had some slip-ups in the past, he’s tried to make up for them by being more disciplined and staying away from the penalty box. Even when there’s a discussion that involves the officials, he is rarely the one losing control or yelling unless it’s absolutely necessary.
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is given to the most “gentlemanly” player and with just 14 minutes in penalties last season as one of the least penalized players in the league, he fits that description quite well. While he has yet to win the award despite being a finalist twice and nominated a number of times, hopefully this season he’ll finally get recognized for his strong disciplined play despite being the type of player who prefers to work behind the scenes and not be in the limelight.
Wild Could Have Award Winners
To many, it may seem unlikely that Kaprizov could beat McDavid, but when he gets on a roll it seems like anything is possible. With Eriksson Ek, Brodin, and Spurgeon, the probability gets a little better that they could win their respective awards. However, whether they win or not, they are capable players that deserve the recognition and hopefully their play will continue that way throughout their careers.
