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Toronto Maple Leafs: Matthews and Bunting Deserve NHL Awards

By James Tanner

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 17: Michael Bunting #58 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 17, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Penguins 4-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 17: Michael Bunting #58 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 17, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Penguins 4-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell (36) reacts after allowing a goal Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell (36) reacts after allowing a goal Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Norris and Vezina Trophies

The Norris and Vezina are two trophies no Leafs player has won since the Original Six, and that tradition is going to continue this year. (stats naturalstattrick.com).

While Morgan Rielly is flirting with a career high in points and is having an excellent season, he’s not a Norris candidate this season.

Roman Josi is on the verge of a 90 point season and might still have a shot at 100, while Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche is arguably having an even better season than Josi.

Both players would be in the MVP talks if Matthews wasn’t completely running away with it, and as it is, one of them won’t even win the Norris.  There are probably ten good candidates for 3rd place in the Norris voting, but if we are being honest, Morgan Rielly, though he’s having a great season, likely isn’t among them.

The Vezina Trophy is even easier to predict than the Norris.

Igor Shesterkin has been the NHL’s best goalie and is even a longshot MVP candidate.  Jack Campbell started strong and was a keeping pace into December, but he fell off big time as he battled injury, while Shesterkin has shut-outs in his last two starts, after briefly seeming human for about a week.

Campbell could potentially one day win this award, but he will not be nominated this season.

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