Macklin Celebrini tops The Hockey News’ early NHL awards poll

As the 2026-27 NHL season approaches, The Hockey News has taken the pulse of its newsroom on who will emerge with the league’s major hardware and the Stanley Cup. A survey of 39 writers and editors produced a wide spread of answers, underscoring the parity across the league, with only two awards projected to land on the same team.

Celebrini edges McDavid for Hart; Makar leads Norris race

In the early Hart Trophy conversation, voters see the possibility of a shift at the top. San Jose Sharks standout Macklin Celebrini emerged as the projected most valuable player, finishing just ahead of Connor McDavid. Celebrini also picked up support for both the Art Ross and Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophies, signalling that THN’s panel already views him as one of the most dynamic offensive forces in the game.

On defence, familiar names dominate the Norris Trophy forecast. Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar drew the most support, narrowly outpacing Minnesota Wild blueliner Quinn Hughes. The results reinforce the idea that Makar and Hughes remain the standard-bearers among offensive defencemen heading into the new campaign.

Hellebuyck favoured for Vezina; Martone vs. McKenna for Calder

Between the pipes, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck sits atop the projected Vezina ballot, finishing just ahead of Tampa Bay Lightning star Andrei Vasilevskiy and New York Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin. Hellebuyck is currently holding out of Jets camp, but voters clearly expect him to perform at an elite level once he returns to game action.

The Calder Trophy race, awarded to the league’s top rookie, is forecast as a two-player duel. Philadelphia Flyers forward Porter Martone received the largest share of support, with Toronto Maple Leafs winger Gavin McKenna not far behind. McKenna comes in with the expectations that follow a first-overall pick, while Martone, selected sixth in 2025 and already tested with the Flyers, has given voters an early glimpse of his potential.

Barkov and Suzuki headline Selke talk; St. Louis leads Jack Adams field

For the Frank J. Selke Trophy as top defensive forward, Florida Panthers centre Aleksander Barkov remains the benchmark. He finished comfortably ahead of Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, with Nico Hischier, Sebastian Aho, Mitch Marner, Anthony Cirelli and Jordan Staal also drawing mentions on ballots.

Behind the bench, Montreal coach Martin St. Louis is the early favourite for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year. He collected more than double the support of Panthers coach Paul Maurice, while Rod Brind’Amour, Pete DeBoer, as well as coaches Muse and Montgomery received smaller backing. The panel’s outlook suggests that if the Canadiens climb significantly in the standings, St. Louis will be strongly positioned to claim the award.

Panthers and Avalanche share Cup lead, Stars close; Habs, Oilers top Canadian hopes

When ballots shifted from individual awards to the Stanley Cup, the split continued. The Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche ended tied for the most votes as projected champions, with the Dallas Stars just a step behind. Two Canadian clubs, the Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers, also appeared among the top choices, giving them, in this poll, the best odds of ending Canada’s long Cup drought. For now, THN’s survey paints a picture of a season with multiple legitimate contenders and no overwhelming favourite.