Hellebuyck tops TSN’s end-of-season player rankings

It is the ultimate straw poll – 12 TSN hockey experts – but if the result is any indication, Connor Hellebuyck could be headed for one of the most celebrated goalie seasons ever.

The Winnipeg netminder was the definitive choice for No. 1 in the TSN end-of-season player rankings, collecting eight first-place votes.

He enters the postseason as a prohibitive favourite to win the Vezina Trophy and a frontrunner for the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award.

Only two goalies have ever swept all three awards in the same season: Dominik Hasek in 1996-97 and 1997-98 and Carey Price in 2014-15.

Neither Hasek, nor Price added the Conn Smythe Trophy – which is a distinct possibility for Hellebuyck, whose Jets enter the playoffs as No. 1 seed in the Western Conference after winning the Presidents’ Trophy with a franchise-record 116 points.

Of course, balloting on the various NHL awards is done by a wide spectrum of voters – media (Hart, Conn Smythe), players (Lindsay) and general managers (Vezina).

Larger groups, to be sure, than a dozen experts tasked with ranking the top 25 NHLers this season. But the consensus TSN view of Hellebuyck may be a hint of things to come.

Hellebuyck led the regular season in wins (47), goals-against average (2.00), save percentage, minimum 35 starts (.925) and Sportlogiq’s industry standard total goals saved above average metric (42).

Hellebuyck finished well clear of the field in the TSN poll, with Edmonton centre Leon Draisaitl placing No. 2, Colorado centre Nathan MacKinnon No. 3, Tampa Bay right winger Nikita Kucherov No. 4 and Colorado right defenceman Cale Makar No. 5.

Which brings us to No. 6: Connor McDavid.

McDavid has ranked No. 1 eight straight years in TSN’s pre-season Top 50.

This has been regarded as a down year, even though McDavid recorded 100 points for an eighth straight season and finished tied for second in points per game (1.49) with Draisaitl, who won his first Rocket Richard Trophy.

Draisaitl scored 52 goals in 71 games, which projects to 60 over 82 games.

NHL scoring leader Kucherov, meanwhile, collected his second consecutive (and third overall) Art Ross Trophy.

Draisaitl and Kucherov each received two No. 1 votes from the TSN panel. MacKinnon received five No. 2 votes, tying him with Draisaitl for most.

MacKinnon started the season at No. 2, maintained that standing at mid-season and finished No. 2 in the NHL scoring race.

Makar, the first 30-goal-scoring defenceman since 2008-09, completed an out-of-order trifecta with his season-ending slot. His ranks this season: No. 6 (pre), No. 7 (mid) and No. 5 (final).

Rounding out the top 10 are Boston right winger David Pastrnak at No. 7, Toronto right winger Mitch Marner at No. 8, Winnipeg left winger Kyle Connor at No. 9 and Vegas centre Jack Eichel at No. 10.

Vancouver left defenceman Quinn Hughes (No. 11) was headed for a place in the top 10, sitting sixth at mid-season, but injuries took their toll. He was one of only three defencemen – along with Makar and Columbus left defenceman Zach Werenski (No. 20) – to finish the season averaging a point per game.

A pair of first-ballot Hall of Famers who entered the league 20 seasons ago finished well within the top 20.

No. 12 Sidney Crosby became the first player to average a point per game 20 straight seasons and, of course, No. 16 Alex Ovechkin became the highest goal-scorer in NHL history this season.

Ovechkin finished with 44 goals in 65 games, which projects to 56 in 82 games.

At No. 25 in the TSN ranking is Toronto centre and three-time NHL goal leader Auston Matthews. He was No. 3 in the pre-season poll and had goals in his final three games to lift his season total to a career-low 33.