Behind MacKinnon, Connor Hellebuyck took second place in our poll, with two first-place votes. The goaltender is also essential to the success of the Winnipeg Jets.
They have come back down to earth since starting the season with 15 wins in 16 games, showing a record of 14-11-3 in their last 28 meetings, but Hellebuyck has never really slowed down.
During these 28 games, the American goaltender suffered only five defeats in regulation time (14-5-1) and he is in the top 3 of the NHL (minimum five games) in terms of goals allowed average ( 2.09), efficiency rate (.924) and shutouts (3).
He made 26 quality starts this season (saving percentage above .900), a record in the NHL, even if he received the most shots (956). To say that he gives his team a chance to win every night is therefore an understatement.
“Helle’s vision is better than any other goalie I’ve ever met,” said Hellebuyck’s backup, Eric Comrie, who has only made 10 starts this season. “I don’t think people realize it because he keeps a lot of things to himself, but he tells me things I would never have thought of. It’s incredible. His way of analyzing everything is exceptional, and his positioning is perfect. »
Draisaitl, who didn’t get a first-place vote, rounds out the top-3. Second star of the month of December, he leads the NHL in goals (14) and winning goals (4) since December 1.
He also managed 11 games with more than one point during this period, allowing the Oilers to show the second best record in the NHL (13-4-1).
Three other players received first-place votes: Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Kaprizov. The latter missed his team’s last nine games due to a lower body injury, which likely hurt him in the quarter’s vote of the season.
Voting results (five points for a first place vote, four points for a second place vote, etc.):
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche, 43 points (6 first-place votes)
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets, 34 (2 first place votes)
Leon Draisaitl, Oilers d’Edmonton, 19
Kirill Kaprizov, Wild du Minnesota, 16 (1 vote de première place)
Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights, 15 (1 first place vote)
Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning, 12 (1 first-place vote)
Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs, 12
Connor McDavid, Oilers d’Edmonton, 5
Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets, 4
Cale Makar, Avalanche du Colorado, 2
Sidney Crosby, Penguins de Pittsburgh, 2
David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins, 1
