Snubbed for Hart, Auston Matthews gets players’ respect as Ted Lindsay Trophy finalist

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Few teams wanted to face NHL goal leader Auston Matthews this past regular season, but his peers continue to hold him in high regard. 

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That was reflected Wednesday in another nod for Matthews as finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award for most outstanding player as voted by the NHL Players Association. Matthews, who topped the league with 69 goals, made the cut with points leader Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning (144) and Nathan MacKinnon, who had a Colorado Avalanche franchise-record 140 points playing all 82 games. 

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It comes a day after Matthews learned he was not among the final three  for the Hart Trophy as the player judged most valuable to his team in a vote by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Kucherov and MacKinnon were named for that with Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid. Matthews won the Hart and Lindsay in 2021-22 for that 60-goal year, but in this season of scoring feats around the league meant many big names who had fine campaigns did not get final recognition. 

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Kucherov is also up for his second Lindsay, while MacKinnon is yet to get one. Matthews had already won the Rocket Richard Trophy (his third) for his goal feats and is also nominated for a Frank Selke Trophy as best defensive forward and the Lady Byng Trophy for a high standard of play combined with good on-ice conduct. 

Matthews scored the most goals in one NHL season in almost 30 years and is the eighth in league  history to achieve 51 even-strength goals. He placed second in the league in takeaways with 85 and third in shots on goal, registering 369. Six hat tricks made him the 10th different player to post as many in one season and he won 705 faceoffs. 

Kucherov set a single-season franchise scoring record with his 144 points, won his second Art Ross Trophy, while his 100 assists were the most by a winger ever in the league. He also finished first this year in power-play points with 53, all playing close to 22 minutes a night.  

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MacKinnon, a three-time Lindsay finalist, reached career highs with 51 goals and 89 assists with his points total a franchise best. He opened the season with a 35-game home point streak, the second longest to Wayne Gretzky’s in 1988-89. He led all forwards in total ice time with 1,870 minutes,46 seconds. 

The Lindsay began in 1970-71 as the Lester B. Pearson Award, changed to its current designation in 2009-10 to honour the late Lindsay’s sacrifices in establishing the NHLPA. 

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