NHL 2020 awards announced after league decides it will go straight to playoffs when resuming

This NHL regular-season awards are a bit different as the 2019-20 regular season was paused due to the coronavirus pandemic and the league will jump right into the playoffs when it returns. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced its plan to resume, which does not include finishing out the regular season, meaning on Thursday, the league could announce the winners of some of its regular season awards.

While this year’s sports are unlike anything we have seen, there is still one thing hockey fans can count on: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin taking home the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. This marks his ninth time to have led the NHL in goals, extending his own league record — Hall of Famer Bobby Hull is the second with seven league-leading seasons.

This season, Ovi shares the honor with the Boston Bruins’ David Pastrnak to become the regular season’s top goal scorers. Both two players ended the shortened season with 48 goals.

Bruins goaltenders Jaroslav Halak and Tuukka Rask earned the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals. Between the two, they allowed only 167 goals through 60 games, a league-best at 2.39 goals each game.

Boston earned another award, this one as a team. The Bruins took home the Presidents’ Trophy for leading the league with 100 points.

The Art Ross Trophy belonged to the Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl, who led the league with up to 110 points. Oilers general manager Ken Holland had high praise for Draisaitl thanks to the player’s first time being awarded the trophy.

Holland said that it’s a credit to his commitment and his passion, the hard work he has put in, the determination over the last three, four, five seasons. He added that the 24-year-old player is the player that has the most points in the league. He surely continues to take steps forward in his career.

The award ceremony has been postponed due to the pandemic and it has not yet been rescheduled.