2020 NHL Individual Awards Winners

When it comes to the NHL Awards, a handful are earned on statistical achievement while the rest are won through votes cast by various organizations depending on the award. The chart below shows the award winners for the 2020 NHL season.

NHL Award	Winner
Conn Smythe Trophy	Victor Hedman
Art Ross Trophy	Leon Draisaitl
Maurice Richard Trophy	Alex Ovechkin/David Pastrnak
Hart Trophy	Leon Draisaitl
Ted Lindsay Award	Leon Draisaitl
Selke Trophy	Sean Couturier
Norris Trophy	Roman Josi
Vezina Trophy	Connor Hellebuyck
Jennings Trophy	Tuukka Rask/Jaroslav Halak
Calder Trophy	Cale Makar
Jack Adams Award	Bruce Cassidy
GM of the Year	Lou Lamoriello
Bill Masterton Trophy	Bobby Ryan
Lady Byng Trophy	Nathan MacKinnon
King Clancy Trophy	Matt Dumba
Messier Award	Mark Giordano

2020 NHL First All-Star Team honors went to Hellebuyck (G), Josi (D), Carlson (D), Draisaitl (C), Pastrnak (RW) and Panarin (LW). The 2020 NHL Second All-Star Team roster was Rask (G), Pietrangelo (D), Hedman (D), MacKinnon (C), Kucherov (RW) and Marchand (LW).  

The 2020 NHL All-Rookie Team was comprised of newcomers Elvis Merzlikins (G), Quinn Hughes (D), Cale Makar (D), Dominik Kubalik (F), Victor Olofsson (F) and Nick Suzuki (F).

* See also 2019 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2018 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2017 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2016 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2015 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2014 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2013 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2012 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2011 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2010 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2009 NHL Individual Awards Winners.

NHL Tiebreaker Rules and Playoff Seeding

NHL realignment and recent revisions to the tie-breaker system, discounting the value of a shootout win in determining regular season standings, have altered tiebreaker rules and playoff seeding.

First off, the top three teams in each division automatically qualify for the postseason with two wildcard spots being awarded to the next highest ranked teams in each conference. And yes, it is possible for both wildcard berths in a conference to come from the same division, meaning one division sends five teams to the playoffs while the other sends only three.

Total regular season points rules the day in ordering the top three teams in each division as well as wildcard winners. The division winner with the most points is then matched against the wildcard team with the fewest points in the conference, leaving the other division winner to play the remaining wildcard team, while the second and third place finishers in each division battle in the opening round of the playoffs.

If teams collect the same number of points, the one with more regulation and overtime wins (statistically abbreviated as ROW) jumps ahead in the standings. Shootout wins DO NOT COUNT for tiebreaker purposes.

If teams share the same number of points and wins (i.e., regulation + overtime wins, excluding shootout wins), then the club with more points in their head-to-head season series prevails. If an odd number of games occurred between the teams, points collected in the first game in the city hosting an extra match will be discounted in the math.

If teams remain tied after calculating points, wins (i.e., regulation + overtime wins, excluding shootout wins), and their head-to-head season series, then the team with the greatest positive difference between goals scored (GF) and goals allowed (GA) gets the nod.

In the unlikely event two teams remain tied in all of these categories at the end of the regular season, a tiebreaker game will be played. Home ice will be determined by a draw and playoff overtime rules will be in effect (i.e., 5-on-5, sudden death, 20 minute periods). Never before has such a game been played, though Montreal and Buffalo came close in 2000.

Points, ROW, head-to-head season series, GF minus GA, tiebreaker game. Now you know.

* See also NHL Playoff Seeding and Re-seeding Rules.