Today, my picks for the major Mid-Season PLAYER awards are released... Enjoy.  Tomorrow will be the GM-specific Mid-Season ones.    The Conn-Smythe will be saved for the GM/TEAM edtion as to not spoil my way-too-early Cup pick. 

Most Surprising Player Award.  Winner: GUSTAV NYQUIST Nashville Predators.  Imagine how terrible Sheds' team would be without the incredibly pleasant surprise Nyquist has been.  A player with a 73 scoring and 80 passing putting up a point a game at the halfway point is remarkable. To boot he's only put his team shorthanded once this season too. 

Most disappointing Player Award.  Winner: (TIE) CONNOR MCDAVID Edmonton Oilers and VICTOR HEDMAN Boston Bruins/Detroit Red Wings.  For this dubious distinction, because both players have been so abysmal, we will select a forward and a defenseman.  Mcdavid is what, 6th on his own team in scoring right now?!  And on pace for what, 60 points?!  He's also a minus player on a cup contending team.  Leon could trade him for a 4th at this point and it might actually increase his team's odds of a championship.  As for Hedman, there is no player on the Ducks, Coyotes, Rangers, Sens or Kings with a worse plus/minus than his -22.  He's even a minus player in his 5 games after moving over to Detroit from Boston. AND his points per game has even dropped since the trade.  Imagine if Greg gutted his entire franchise when it was Hedman who was the only issue all along?! 

Calder Memorial Trophy: An annual award given to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the league. Winner: MORITZ SEIDER. Philadelphia Flyers.  Apparently Tony had approximately half of the BRHL inquiring about the cost to land the large German defenseman over the past year.  And for good reason.  With 26 points in 37 games and a plus minus of +13, Big Mo has possibly exceeded even Tony’s own expectations and become a franchise building cornerstone.  

Frank J. Selke Trophy:  The Frank J. Selke Trophy is an annual award given to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.  Winner: KYLE OKPOSO New Jersey Devils.  The league leaders in plus minus are almost exclusively players from the upper echelon teams of the league.  However, Okposo from Ken’s Devils is an exception.  Given that, and the fact he’s the only forward in the top 10 with double digit blocked shots (besides the beast that is Mitch Marner), makes him an easy choice for the halfway Selke Trophy winner.

James Norris Memorial Trophy:  An annual award given to the defenseman who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position. Winner: CHARLIE MCAVOY New York Islanders.  McAvoy has been filthy this season for Joe and his Islanders.  He currently sits 2nd in the league in ice time amongst all players, 1st for D-men in assists and points, tied for 1st for D-men with Brent Burns in PP points, sports a plus 18 rating, and has put up over 100 hits and 60 blocked shots.  A pretty simple selection here.  

Vezina Trophy: The Vezina Trophy is an annual award given to the goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at this position as voted by the general managers of all clubs. Winner: FREDERIK ANDERSEN Colorado Avalanche.  I really wanted to put Sorokin here just to switch it up from Freddy who also currently leads the Jennings Trophy race, but Sorokin for some reason just hasn’t quite played enough action.  Why? You’ll have to ask my boy Tony. Maybe he’s saving him for the playoffs.  Freddy is currently leading the league in wins and has put up a spectacular GAA, SV percentage, and an impressive 4 goose eggs.  

William Jennings Trophy: An annual award given to the goalkeeper(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it, selected based on regular-season play. Winner: FREDERIK ANDERSEN Colorado Avalanche. Speaking of Andersen leading the Jennings race, here he is!  Considering Francouz and Samsonov have not even reached close to 12.5 games (and have been weak in their few appearances), this award goes to Freddy only.  

The Anti-William Jennings Trophy.  To the team whose goalies have given up the most goals.  No games played qualifiers required.  Winners: DEVAN DUBNYK, FILIP GUSTAVSSON, JAKE OETTINGER, and MIKHAIL BERDIN Anaheim Ducks.  Two of these goalies actually sport a save percentage over .910, but all have a GAA of over 3.00 because of the horrific team in front of them.  Devon and his Ducks are tanking hard, and have narrowly edged out brother Toby for this notorious award. 

Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy: An annual award given to the league's top goal scorer by the Board of Governors. The winner(s) are determined based on regular-season play.  Winner: MITCH MARNER Winnipeg Jets with 31.  And it’s not even close. Marner has been lights out for Doc all season. That line of him with Eichel and either Willy/Skinner has been tops in the league.  What’s even better for Doc is he gets to cheer for MM in real life too.  

Art Ross Trophy: The Art Ross Trophy is an annual award given to the player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. Winner: MITCH MARNER Winnipeg Jets.  Marner holds a slight edge over the Islanders Sasha Barkov currently.  It will likely be one of those two studs taking the actual BRHL scoring title come April.  

Hart Memorial Trophy:  The Hart Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the player judged to be the most valuable to his team. The winner is selected in a poll at the end of the regular season.  Winner: MITCH MARNER Winnipeg Jets.  The man, the myth, the legend leads all players this season in goals, points, and plus minus.  For good measure, no other forward in the top 25 in points has double digit blocked shots besides him.  Congrats to Marner as the big winner of our halfway mark awards.