The NHL’s early award picture already has a few familiar stars in the frame, but the strongest cases may belong to players carrying enormous loads for clubs with playoff expectations. Macklin Celebrini’s health in San Jose, Logan Thompson’s work in Washington and Quinn Hughes’ contract-year urgency in Minnesota will be worth tracking shift by shift.
Key takeaways
- Celebrini is considered day to day with a lower-body injury after San Jose was shut out 5-0 by Dallas without its top center.
- Thompson opened Washington’s season with 31 saves in a 5-2 win over Carolina and is in line to start against Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
- Philadelphia rookie Porter Martone is still seeking his first point after four games, though his net-front work showed up against Tampa Bay.
- Hughes has three points through Minnesota’s first two games while entering the final season of his contract.
- Montreal’s steady rise under Martin St. Louis makes the Canadiens coach a leading Jack Adams candidate.
Celebrini, Thompson and Hughes set the pace
Celebrini was fourth in Hart Trophy voting last season after piling up 115 points, including 45 goals and 70 assists. His 56-point gap over the next-highest Sharks scorer underlined how much San Jose leaned on him. The Sharks missed the postseason, a hurdle that has historically been difficult for Hart candidates to overcome: Mario Lemieux in 1987-88 was the most recent winner from a non-playoff club, and only five players have done it since Billy Burch in 1924-25.
That could change if San Jose’s improved roster gets the club into the playoff field. Celebrini, 20, is expected to be a central reason for any breakthrough, provided the lower-body issue keeps him out only briefly. The Sharks’ 5-0 loss to the Stars on Monday offered a blunt reminder of the difference he makes. Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers round out the projected Hart top three.
In Washington, Thompson has a chance to turn an underrated resume into a Vezina Trophy season. The 29-year-old has gone 119-59-23 in 205 regular-season NHL appearances, 196 of them starts, with a 2.56 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. His postseason numbers are equally strong: a 7-7 record, 2.40 GAA and .918 save percentage.
Thompson finished fourth in last season’s Vezina vote despite Washington missing the playoffs. With the Capitals expected to be among the Metropolitan Division’s stronger teams, his numbers and team success could rise together. He stopped 31 Hurricanes shots in Friday’s opener and is expected to get the crease when Washington hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins at Capital One Arena on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers are projected behind him in the race.
Thompson is also viewed as Canada’s leading candidate to be its starting goaltender at the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. A Vezina campaign would only strengthen that standing.
Hughes has started quickly for Minnesota with one goal and two assists in two games. The 2023-24 Norris Trophy winner was seventh in last season’s voting after his year was split by the Dec. 12, 2025 trade from Vancouver to the Wild.
The blue-liner can become an unrestricted free agent July 1 and has said he is not rushing into a new deal. If there is no extension — or if it becomes clear he will not sign one — Minnesota could face a trade decision rather than risk losing an elite defenseman for nothing. Hughes also has financial motivation for a huge year, with Cale Makar’s new $20.4 million annual contract in Colorado setting a fresh market marker. Makar and New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer are the other projected Norris finalists.
Rookie patience in Philadelphia and a coaching standard in Montreal
Martone and the Flyers have stumbled out of the gate at 0-2-2. The rookie has no points and a minus-2 rating through four games, and he has been on the ice for four goals against. That stretch included a short-handed goal against in Philadelphia’s 7-0 opening-night loss to Pittsburgh.
Still, there were encouraging shifts in Monday’s 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay. Martone drove toward the crease, nearly scored his first NHL goal, drew penalties and brought force during 14:36 of ice time. His game is built to create difficult minutes for opponents: he goes to the paint, plays physically, finishes checks and can add an edge when necessary.
There is also recent evidence of his scoring ability. After signing out of Michigan State last season, Martone recorded four goals and six assists in nine regular-season games, then added two goals and three assists in 10 playoff contests. With 80 games still available to shape his rookie case, he remains the projected Calder Trophy winner ahead of Washington’s Cole Hutson and Toronto’s Gavin McKenna.
St. Louis’ work in Montreal has followed a clear upward line since he took over on Feb. 9, 2022. The Canadiens earned 68 points in his first full season, followed by 76, then 91 and an unexpected playoff appearance. Last season brought 106 points and a trip to the Eastern Conference Final.
The former Hall of Fame player has connected with Montreal’s young group while demanding continued development, using his ability to teach, motivate and relate to players in one of hockey’s most intense markets. The expectation is that the Canadiens can build on last season, win the Atlantic Division and make St. Louis the Jack Adams Award choice. Spencer Carbery of Washington and San Jose’s Ryan Warsofsky are projected as the other finalists.
