Nathan MacKinnon wins Hart, Ted Lindsey Award

The NHL Awards ceremony is one of the most interesting and gracious nights of the NHL offseason. There are five awards up for grabs: the Vezina trophy, the Hart Memorial, the Calder Trophy, the Norris Trophy and finally the Ted Lindsey trophy.

The 2023-24 Ted Lindsey Award winner is Colorado Avalanche Center Nathan MacKinnon. On his mantle, he now adds this award next to his Calder Trophy from back in 2013-14.

This was a hard choice to make, especially with the type of company he was with. His runner-ups were Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov and Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews. Kucherov had 100 assists this season, and Matthews won the Rocket Richard trophy with 69 goals.

MacKinnon had an incredible season, leading the Avalanche in goals with 51, assists with 89, and points with 140. He was the most impactful player on the ice with every shift, and those numbers I just mentioned do not demonstrate just how important he is to the Avs.

As the NHL Awards went on, other names started getting their name called for the other various awards. Connor Bedard from Chicago won the Calder trophy, and Connor Hellebuyck from Winnipeg won the Vezina for the top goaltender.

Then it came down to the Hart Trophy, the NHL MVP. MacKinnon was once again up for the award alongside Kucherov, and Edmonton's Connor McDavid. With elite competition in his way of his first Hart Trophy, he won the 2023-24 Most Valuable Player award.

What an incredible night for MacKinnon and Avs nation as a whole. With two more awards added to this franchise's long-standing history of winners, it shows just how special this past season was. As his trophy case is starting to fill up, so are his chances of having his #29 hung up in the rafters of Ball Arena, and the NHL Hall of Fame calling whenever he decides to hang it up.

Congratulations to Nathan MacKinnon on taking home the Ted Lindsey award, as well as the Hart Trophy.