In 2008 there would have been a riot if Ovechkin hadn’t been named MVP. This season? His chances are 50-50. Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin had a brilliant regular season with 35 goals and 78 assists. That gives him three more points than Ovechkin (56 goals, 54 assists — 110), who did play in three fewer games. Malkin led the NHL in takeaways (94). Ovechkin was a bit more productive on the power play with 47 points. The dark horse is Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk, an elite two-way center second to Malkin in takeaways (89) who still managed 97 points.

The pick »  Split the difference. Malkin wins the Hart while Ovechkin takes the Pearson Award as the players’ choice.

Norris Trophy

No, Green isn’t a classic big defenseman like Boston’s Zdeno Chara, who can clear out a crease and still bomb shots from the point. Green also isn’t like Nicklas Lidstrom, the 39-year-old Red Wings star who plays the angles so well and always keeps the puck out of trouble. But at what he does — score goals, take chances, use his superb skating ability to recover from mistakes — Green did better than anyone in the NHL last year. Despite playing in just 68 games, he finished with 31 goals — the most by a defenseman since 1992-93. He also had an NHL-record streak for a defenseman of eight games in a row with at least one goal. Green’s .46 goals-per-game average is tied for seventh-best in league history.

The pick »  Green. The Norris shouldn’t just be handed to the defenseman with the most points. But we may not see an offensive season like this for a while.