Hockey·Opinion

Hockey Night picks 2013 NHL award winners

There's no secret ballot here as the Hockey Night In Canada crew picks who it feels will win the major NHL awards this season and why the players are so deserving.

Who deserves Hart, Norris, Vezina Trophies and why

Wayne Gretzky took home the Hart Trophy in 1987, along with a few other pieces of hardware with the Edmonton Oilers that year. Who will be named the league's MVP in 2013? (File/Canadian Press)

With the lockout-shortened 2013 NHL season coming to a dramatic close, we decided to take a peek into the future with the help of some of our hockey experts.

There's no secret ballot here — we show you who the Hockey Night In Canada crew picks to win the awards, and they tell us why those players deserve the hardware.

Agree with our team's choices? Disagree?

Tell us who you would've pegged for the awards in the comment section below.


Hart Trophy

Winner: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins.

Vote breakdown:

Sidney Crosby (10)

  • Craig Simpson
  • Rob Pizzo
  • Scott Oake
  • Rick Ball
  • Ron MacLean
  • P.J. Stock
  • Kelly Hrudey
  • Garry Galley
  • Kevin Weekes
  • Tim Wharnsby

Alex Ovechkin (4)

  • Harnarayan Singh
  • Inderpreet Cumo
  • Andi Petrillo
  • Mark Lee

John Tavares (1)

  • Cassie Campbell-Pascall

Jonathan Toews (1)

  • Jim Hughson

Why Crosby should win:

Simpson: Despite playing only 36 games he still leads the NHL in scoring and assists as of April 21, and was the most dominant player in the NHL on the best team in the East when in the lineup.

Ball: Would have been a no-brainer before broken jaw. Still a no-brainer, as far as I'm concerned.

MacLean: That the Pens win without him is because he made them all better. Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kuntiz are stars in his orbit.


Norris Trophy

Winner: P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens.

Vote breakdown:

P.K. Subban (8)

  • Craig Simpson
  • Rob Pizzo
  • Inderpreet Cumo
  • Andi Petrillo
  • Cassie Campbell-Pascall
  • Kevin Weekes
  • Tim Wharnsby
  • Mark Lee

Ryan Suter (2)

  • Scott Oake
  • Rick Ball

Kris Letang (2)

  • Garry Galley
  • Harnarayan Singh

Francois Beauchemin (2)

  • P.J. Stock
  • Jim Hughson

Duncan Keith (1)

  • Ron MacLean

Zdeno Chara (1)

  • Kelly Hrudey

Why Subban should win:

Pizzo: This is a two-horse race, but I give the edge to Subban. While his minutes are not as high as some of the other top blue-liners, his offensive ability and physical play are incredible.

Weekes: While others were doubting and hating, he was working. Off-ice two-a-days and on-ice skill development work helped him lead all defencemen in the NHL in goals and points while playing six fewer games.

Campbell-Pascall: He has done it all in Montreal since returning and also improved his defensive game to boot. Just willing to learn this year and become an all-around player.


Selke Trophy

Winner: Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks.

Vote breakdown:

Jonathan Toews (7)

  • Craig Simpson
  • Rob Pizzo
  • Scott Oake
  • Rick Ball
  • Kelly Hrudey
  • Harnarayan Singh
  • Mark Lee

Patrice Bergeron (6)

  • Ron MacLean
  • P.J. Stock
  • Garry Galley
  • Inderpreet Cumo
  • Cassie Campbell-Pascall
  • Tim Wharnsby

Chris Kunitz (1)

  • Andi Petrillo

Jay McClement (1)

  • Jim Hughson

Pavel Datsyuk (1)

  • Kevin Weekes

Why Toews should win:

Lee: He's asked to do so much more than score. One of the game's best face-off men and among the best at takeaways. No wonder Chicago is the class of the NHL this season.

Pizzo: Leads his team by example by dominating on both ends of the ice.

Hrudey: Dependable two-way player that seems to have more fun keeping the other team from scoring.


Vezina Trophy

Winner: Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets.

Vote breakdown:

Sergei Bobrovsky (10)

  • Craig Simpson
  • Rob Pizzo
  • Scott Oake
  • Rick Ball
  • Ron MacLean
  • P.J. Stock
  • Cassie Campbell-Pascall
  • Andi Petrillo
  • Tim Wharnsby
  • Mark Lee

Antti Niemi (3)

  • Kelly Hrudey
  • Garry Galley
  • Harnarayan Singh

Craig Anderson (2)

  • Jim Hughson
  • Kevin Weekes

Henrik Lundqvist (1)

  • Inderpreet Cumo

Why Bobrovsky should win:

Simpson: Bobrovsky has been a great story and had an amazing year to help Columbus be in the thick of a playoff race to finish the season.

Pizzo: Columbus has little to no offence and still are in a battle for a playoff spot for one reason: Sergei!

Campbell-Pascall: Big factor in Columbus, and regardless of whether they make the playoffs he has been lights out.


Calder Trophy

Winner: Brendan Gallagher, Montreal Canadiens.

Vote breakdown:

Brendan Gallagher (8)

  • Craig Simpson
  • Rob Pizzo
  • P.J. Stock
  • Garry Galley
  • Andi Petrillo
  • Jim HUghson
  • Kevin Weekes
  • Mark Lee

Jonathan Huberdeau (5)

  • Scott Oake
  • Ron MacLean
  • Inderpreet Cumo
  • Cassie Campbell-Pascall
  • Tim Wharnsby

Jonas Brodin (2)

  • Rick Ball
  • Kelly Hrudey

Cory Conacher (1)

  • Harnarayan Singh

Why Gallagher should win:

Hughson: Few players move to the NHL without adjusting their game. He plays just the way he did in junior hockey and has had a huge influence on the Canadiens this season.

Weekes: In spite of size and lack of fanfare when he came on board, all he does is deliver. Over and over.

Simpson: Big impact in a small package that helped Montreal have a turnaround season. Gallagher played hard minutes, paid the price physically, and got better with every game.


Jack Adams Trophy

Winner: Paul MacLean, Ottawa Senators.

Vote breakdown:

Paul MacLean (9)

  • Rob Pizzo
  • Scott Oake
  • P.J. Stock
  • Kelly Hrudey
  • Harnarayan Singh
  • Inderpreet Cumo
  • Cassie Campbell-Pascall
  • Jim Hughson
  • Mark Lee

Michel Therrien (2)

  • Craig Simpson
  • Tim Wharnsby

Joel Quenneville (2)

  • Rick Ball
  • Kevin Weekes

Adam Oates (1)

  • Ron MacLean

Darryl Sutter (1)

  • Garry Galley

Randy Carlyle (1)

  • Andi Petrillo

Why MacLean should win:

Campbell-Pascall: The season that Ottawa has had with all the injuries has been ridiculous.

Singh: MacLean's had to use numerous players with little to no NHL experience and he's still managed to keep the Ottawa ship afloat the entire season. He's also a coach that the players seem to love playing for.

Hrudey: It defies logic the success the Senators have had, considering their injuries.


GM of the Year

Winner: Ray Shero, Pittsbugh Penguins.

Ray Shero (8)

  • Rob Pizzo
  • Scott Oake
  • Rick Ball
  • Kelly Hrudey
  • Garry Galley
  • Harnarayan Singh
  • Inderpreet Cumo
  • Kevin Weekes

Bryan Murray (4)

  • Craig Simpson
  • Ron MacLean
  • Jim Hughson
  • Mark Lee

Marc Bergevin (2)

  • P.J. Stock
  • Tim Wharnsby

Chuck Fletcher (1)

  • Andi Petrillo

Why Shero should win:

Pizzo: He traded for Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow and Douglas Murray without giving up a roster player!  He continues to look for ways to improve an already amazing hockey team.

Oake: Made the Penguins Stanley Cup favourites at the deadline without giving anything up from current team.

Singh: He's not afraid to make bold moves and so far, it’s safe to say he has won most, if not all, of the trades he has made since becoming Pittsburgh’s GM in 2006.