play1:02Matthew Schaefer becomes youngest defenseman with multigoal gameMatthew Schaefer becomes youngest defenseman with multigoal game
play0:36Nick Suzuki tallies goal for Montreal Canadiens on the power playNick Suzuki tallies goal for Montreal Canadiens on the power play
Who is the early leader for NHL MVP? (0:55)Greg Wyshynski breaks down some early NHL awards favorites. (0:55)
Matthew Schaefer becomes youngest defenseman with multigoal gameMatthew Schaefer becomes youngest defenseman with multigoal game
Nick Suzuki tallies goal for Montreal Canadiens on the power playNick Suzuki tallies goal for Montreal Canadiens on the power play
Greg WyshynskiNov 4, 2025, 07:00 AM ETCloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.Follow on X
play0:30Cale Makar lights the lamp for AvalancheCale Makar nets goal for Avalanche
It’s said that an NHL team doesn’t win the Stanley Cup in the first month of the season. But can a player win an NHL award in that span?
There’s plenty of runway left for dramatic shifts in statistics and the standings. But this is the time of year when narratives are planted in the minds of awards voters. An 18-year-old rookie sensation who reenergizes a franchise in his first dozen games isn’t all that far off from a film playing to standing ovations at Cannes, months before becoming an Oscar nominee.
First impressions matter, and the inaugural NHL Awards Watch of the 2025-26 season is a good indication of how impressed the voters currently are with the early field of contenders.
We’ve polled a wide selection of Professional Hockey Writers Association voters anonymously to get a sense of where the wind is blowing for the current leaders. We’ve made sure it’s a cross section from the entire league, trying to gain as many perspectives as possible.
Keep in mind that the PHWA votes for the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng finalists, broadcasters vote for the Jack Adams and general managers handle the Vezina.
Leader: Jack Eichel, C, Vegas Golden Knights Finalists: Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche; Mark Scheifele, C, Winnipeg Jets
Eichel was the player of the month for October in the NHL. He has been the most valuable player so far this season in the minds of our voters.
Eichel has received significant Hart Trophy support just twice in his career, finishing eighth in 2019-20 with the Buffalo Sabres and fifth last season for Vegas. He earned two first-place votes in 2024-25. That number will grow significantly if his success, and that of his team, continues unabated this season.
“It’s a wide-open race after 10 games,” one voter concluded. “Lots of guys having incredible impacts on the scoreboard and tilting the ice in favor of their respective teams.”
Makar received the second-most first-place votes (19%), which is surprising on a couple of levels. For example: He’s a defenseman and this is the Hart Trophy. The last defenseman to win league MVP was Chris Pronger of the St. Louis Blues back in 2000. That’s also the last time a defenseman was even a finalist for the Hart.
Makar’s candidacy is also surprising because Nathan MacKinnon, at last check, is still a member of the Colorado Avalanche. Through 13 games, MacKinnon led the Avs in goals (10) and points (19). Makar had 4 goals and 14 assists for 18 points in that span. MacKinnon earned 10% of the first-place votes from our panel.
MacKinnon has been as relevant to the Hart Trophy voting as defensemen have been alien to it, winning league MVP in 2023-24 and finishing in the top four in the voting five total times since 2017-18.
But overall, it’s Makar that has the louder early MVP buzz. Keep in mind that there might be room for two Avs in the MVP race: MacKinnon was fourth for the Hart last season, but Makar finished two spots behind him at sixth.
Scheifele’s explosive first 12 games earned him the third-most first-place votes (15% overall) from our panel. The Winnipeg star had nine goals and 11 assists, and registered points in 11 of his 12 appearances. Entering Monday night, his 20 points led all scorers, powering the Jets up the standings in the Central Division.
Apparently, Scheifele really wants to make an early-season impression on Team Canada management after his 4 Nations Face-Off snub. The Jets are certainly benefiting from it.
“It’ll be difficult for him to maintain this ranking, but he’s the best performer on a fantastic team,” a Scheifele voter declared.
Other players who received first-place MVP votes from our panel: Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers), Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils) and Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings). Draisaitl, who won his lone MVP award in 2019-20, was second for the Hart last season behind Connor Hellebuyck.
Among the players that made voters’ ballots but didn’t get a first-place vote: Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks) and Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins).
Leader: Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche Finalists: Mike Matheson, Montreal Canadiens; Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
Makar earned all but one first-place vote from our panelists. Heading into Monday night, his 18 points are seven better than any other defenseman. He has skated to a plus-12 and is averaging 25:27 per game. He’s second in the NHL in goals above replacement (6.4), per Evolving Hockey.
Makar is seeking his second straight Norris Trophy win — and second overall — having earned 92% of the first-place votes last season. He has been a finalist for the Norris for five straight seasons.
“Makar’s simply on another planet. That $20 million cap hit in two years is somehow going to be a bargain,” another voter predicted.
Cale Makar lights the lamp for AvalancheCale Makar nets goal for Avalanche
The defenseman that prevented a unanimous decision for Makar? Canadiens veteran Matheson, who earned one first-place vote. The 31-year-old has seven points in his first 12 games for the surging Habs, playing with Noah Dobson on the team’s top pairing. Matheson is one of Montreal’s primary penalty killers as well.
Of the players mentioned most prominently down the ballot, Morrissey earned the most support. The Jets defenseman had 11 points (1 goal, 10 assists) in his first 12 games, skating to a plus-12 while playing 24:35 per game on average. Morrissey was fourth in the Norris Trophy voting last season.
Among the other defensemen earning support from our voters: Gustav Forsling (Florida Panthers), Adam Fox (New York Rangers), Jake Sanderson (Ottawa Senators), Shea Theodore (Vegas Golden Knights) and Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets).
Leader: Matthew Schaefer, D, New York Islanders Finalists: Ivan Demidov, RW, Montreal Canadiens; Emmitt Finnie, LW, Detroit Red Wings
Schaefer is surpassing those expectations so far but also has something else going for him: That transformative alchemy that an outstanding rookie can provide to a franchise marinating in ennui. From the moment Schaefer was drafted, it was clear that his charisma and enthusiasm were infectious. After a dozen games, the Islanders have a different energy, and it’s difficult not to trace that directly to the joy of Schaefer.
Matthew Schaefer becomes youngest defenseman with multigoal game
Matthew Schaefer becomes youngest defenseman with multigoal game
He’s not just a great story. Statistically, he’s been the league’s best rookie so far: 10 points in 12 games (5 goals and 5 assists), tied for the lead among Calder-eligible players entering Monday night’s action. He has earned five points at even strength and five on the power play while skating 21:56 per game on average, easily the most ice time logged among rookies.
“Position matters. So does ice time. And Schaefer is logging more than two minutes per game more than any other rookie,” one voter explained.
And he’s already making history, too. On Sunday, Schaefer became the youngest defenseman in NHL history with a multigoal game, moving in front of Hall of Famer Bobby Orr (18 years, 248 days on Nov. 23, 1966).
As good as Schaefer’s been, he earned only 81% of the first-place votes. The other first-place votes were garnered by Canadiens dynamo Ivan Demidov. The 19-year-old winger was tied with Schaefer atop the rookie scoring list after the weekend, with 3 goals and 7 assists in 12 games. That’s while averaging 13:59 in ice time, fourth among rookie forwards.
“Ivan Demidov has been spectacular, but at this point, this race is not particularly close,” one voter declared.
“Schaefer has been otherworldly, but Demidov will have his moment to push,” another voter predicted.
It’s clearly a two-player race at this point. The only other player prominently mentioned by our panel was Emmitt Finnie, one of the biggest surprises of the season so far for the Red Wings.
Other rookies getting some support so far include Minnesota Wild defenseman Zeev Buium, St. Louis Blues forward Jimmy Snuggerud and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin.
Leader: Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals Finalists: Jakub Dobes, Montreal Canadiens; Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
There were certainly some skeptics of Thompson before the season. After being acquired from the Golden Knights in the 2024 offseason, he had an astonishing 2024-25 campaign for the Capitals: 31-6-6 with a .910 save percentage and a 2.49 goals-against average in 43 appearances. But that wasn’t enough to impress the league’s general managers, who placed him fourth in last season’s Vezina vote.
His record isn’t quite as sterling so far this season, but his stats are even better. Through eight games, he’s 5-3-0 with a .935 save percentage and a 1.51 goals-against average, leading the NHL in both categories heading into Monday’s action.
Thompson is playing with some additional pressure on him, too: trying to make the cut for the Canadian Olympic team ahead of the 2026 men’s tournament in Italy.
“At this point, if he doesn’t make Canada’s Olympic team, it is for something other than his play,” one Canadian-born voter surmised. “He is the best Canadian goaltender, and it’s not particularly close.”
Thompson earned 33% of the first-place votes. Hellebuyck and Dobes each earned around 24% of the first-place votes to round out the top three.