It’s award season in the NHL, and the usual suspects for the Colorado Avalanche are up for these awards. Those usual suspects include Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.
Ted Lindsay Award
Both Makar and MacKinnon are up for the Ted Lindsay Award, as announced Wednesday morning. The award is for the most valuable player in the league, as voted on by the players. It is the first time since the award was renamed in honor of Ted Lindsay that two players from the same team are nominated. The other nominee is the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov.
As voted on by their fellow players, former recipients Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon join first-time finalist Cale Makar as the 2024-25 finalists for the #TedLindsayAward.
More: https://t.co/3Ia8FV5Mbr #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/mJqCJqTpVd
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) April 30, 2025
James Norris Memorial Trophy
Makar is also up for nomination for the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defender. In his six-year career, he has been nominated for the honor five times. The only time he was not nominated in his rookie year, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s best rookie. The Avs defender will be going up against the Vancouver Canucks’ Quinn Hughes, and Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski.
Cale Makar is Norris Memorial Trophy Finalist 🏆 #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/H51sGbNIJf
— Hockey Mountain High (@HockeyMtnHighCO) April 29, 2025
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
However, Makar and MacKinnon are not the only two Avalanche players up for awards this season. The recently returned and revitalized captain, Gabriel Landeskog, is also a nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. He is the Avs’ choice for the honor as the player with the most perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication.
Landeskog has been valiant in his three-year recovery from his knee injury. He finally made his way back onto the ice. He’s returned in style with his first NHL goal in over 1,040 days in a massive Game Four win. The only downside is the trophy was voted on in the regular season. Landeskog did not make an appearance then. He will need to be one of three finalists to be awarded the honor on Friday, May 2.
O Captain! My Captain!
Gabriel Landeskog has been nominated for the 2025 Bill Masterton Trophy. This award is given annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. pic.twitter.com/gGapGGBxqj
— x – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 9, 2025
Other Awards
MacKinnon may also be up for a back-to-back Hart Memorial Trophy as the league MVP. Plus, Jared Bednar could have an outside chance at the Jack Adams Award as the best coach. Finalists for both will also be announced on Friday, May 2.
Colorado is almost always in the running for some awards, and this year is no different.
