2015-2016 NHL Awards picks and predictions

The ballots are in and the staff at PPP has picked its NHL Awards winners. Each of the winners below are drawn from the averaged selection of 17 of the site's past and present staff.

NHL Awards

Hart (MVP)

Alex Ovechkin

It was narrow, but a late push (including a hat trick in his last game) gave Alex Ovechkin the league's MVP award over other frontrunners, such as Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson.

Alex Ovechkin's astonishing 7th 50-goal season and the success the Caps had as the league's best team made him hard to ignore, even if he was below a point per game on the year.

Norris (best defensemen)

Erik Karlsson

In the biggest landslide of any of this year's awards voting, Erik Karlsson received all but two votes, including several votes for the MVP as well.

In a year where league scoring continued to fall, Karlsson's 82 points in 82 games is remarkable. No defensemen has scored more than 82 points since Brian Leetch more than 20 years ago (1995-1996).

PK Subban and Drew Doughty were the only other players to receive a Norris Trophy vote from our staff.

Vezina (best goalie)

Braden Holtby

It was close, but Braden Holtby edged out the Vezina Trophy over Henrik Lundqvist and Ben Bishop in this year's voting.

Holtby is fresh off a .922 save percentage and an NHL record 48 wins, tying Martin Brodeur. Holtby never lost two consecutive games this season, propelling the Capitals to an NHL-best 120 points.

Jack Adams (best coach)

Mike Sullivan

If there was one year to give a coach the Jack Adams award when he didn't even start the season as an NHL coach, it's probably this one.

Sullivan took a struggling Penguins team, on the outside looking in on the playoff picture and turned them into Stanley Cup favourites, finding a dominant role for Phil Kessel along the way.

Calder (best rookie)

Connor McDavid

Much like Mike Sullivan, Connor McDavid has earned the Calder Memorial Trophy despite missing a big chunk of the season. As a teenager, McDavid notched 48 points in 45 games.

Had he played the full season, that pace would have been good enough for top five in NHL scoring.

There isn't another rookie with nearly as much skill, but longevity for Panarin, Eichel and Gostisbehere earned them some consideration from our voters as well.

Selke (best defensive forward)

Anze Kopitar

It's not Datsyuk or Bergeron! After posting 74 points and exceptional possession numbers on the once again overpowering Kings, Anze Kopitar narrowly surpassed Joe Thornton as our collective Selke winner.

At 28 years old Kopitar doesn't appear to be slowing down as one of the league's best centres, offensively or defensively.

GM of the Year

Jim Nill

This award is almost impossible to choose or predict but after finishing 10th in the Western Conference last season, the Dallas Stars bounced back and finished first this season.

The additions of Johnny Oduya, Patrick Sharp and Antti Niemi, among others, have paid dividends and added to a core that includes some youth and two of the game's best players.

The Full Results

Leave your picks in the comment section below and vote in our Hart Trophy poll (which includes all of our staff's selections).

Who should win the Hart Trophy as the 2015-2016 MVP?