- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 518,704
- Reaction score
- 47
You must be registered for see images attach
The end of the regular season has arrived, and after every season, players are nominated for awards. The Hart Trophy, Norris Trophy and Vezina Trophy are some of the most popular awards that will be handed out during the Stanley Cup final this year.
However, one award that the NHL doesn’t distribute is the most improved player award, commending a player for having a bounce-back season or taking a big stride in their growth.
The NBA, in particular, presents this award to the player who has made a dramatic improvement from the previous season, or even beyond that.
Here are four NHL players who would be in the conversation to win this hypothetical, most improved player award this season.
Brandon Hagel, LW, Tampa Bay Lightning
Throughout his career, Brandon Hagel has improved with every passing season. However, his previous offensive production has been blown out of the water this year.
In 82 games this season, Hagel has contributed 35 goals and 55 assists for 90 points, all career highs. And his personal bests don’t end there, as he finished the season at a plus-33, averaged 20:45 of ice time and is tied in second for the most shorthanded points this season with seven.
With his play this season, the 26-year-old earned a spot on Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster. While he only picked up one assist in the tournament, he was a critical penalty-killer and was involved in one of the three fights to kick off the first game between Team Canada and Team USA.
In the 2023 off-season, Lightning GM Julien BriseBois locked up Hagel for eight years in a steal of a deal. The Saskatoon native will earn $6.5 million per season through the 2031-32 season.
Dylan Holloway, LW, St. Louis Blues
The Edmonton Oilers might be kicking themselves for losing Dylan Holloway to the St. Louis Blues last off-season. Oilers GM Stan Bowman didn’t match the offer sheet that Blues GM Doug Armstrong put out on the table.
Therefore, Holloway became a Blue, agreeing to a two-year contract at $2.29 million per season. Since joining St. Louis, he has transformed himself to another level.
In two seasons with Edmonton, Holloway played a total of 89 games and scored nine goals and 18 points. However, this season with St. Louis, he scored 26 goals and recorded 63 points in 77 appearances.
He’s been a key piece for the Blues and their quest to make the playoffs. Unfortunately for the team and player, Holloway has been out with an injury since April 3, and it’s unlikely he’ll suit up for Game 1 against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.
Dylan Strome, C, Washington Capitals
After not being able to find a true home with the Arizona Coyotes – now Utah Hockey Club – and the Chicago Blackhawks, Dylan Strome has thrived with the Washington Capitals.
He has played his best hockey in D.C. and has destroyed all his previous personal bests this season. He completed the season with a point-per-game average for the first time in his career, scoring 29 goals and 82 points.
He obtained new career-highs in goals, assists with 53, points, power-play goals, power-play points and more. On top of solidifying himself as the No. 1 center of the Capitals in this memorable season, he had the secondary assist on Alex Ovechkin’s record-breaking goal.
These upcoming playoffs will be his third campaign in his nine-year career. Last season, the Caps were eliminated in four games against the New York Rangers, where Strome recorded a goal and a helper.
However, Washington is a different team this year, and from an individual standpoint, Strome proved that by scoring 15 more points than last season.
Filip Gustavsson, G, Minnesota Wild
Over the past three seasons, Filip Gustavsson has gradually taken over the starter role from an aging and soon-to-retire Marc-Andre Fleury. After splitting games in 2023-24, Gustavsson took the reins this campaign.
While the Minnesota goaltender has put up great numbers in previous seasons, he’s never been a true No. 1 until this season. In 2022-23, Gustavsson recorded a 2.10 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage in 37 starts.
This year, he started a career-high 58 games and posted a 2.56 GAA, a .914 SP, along with a personal best of five shutouts. Gustavsson ranked fourth in save percentage among goaltenders who have played at least 40 games.
The Swede ended the season with a 31-19-6 record and was the backbone for the Wild in several parts of the season. While Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek were out of the lineup with injury, Gustavsson stood tall between the pipes and played a major role in pushing his team to the playoffs.
Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
Continue reading...
