Videos » rolled to an easy 118-85 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, wi

Were one quarter of the way through the season, so its not too early to think about superlatives -- and to highlight some surprising folks who have shouldered their way into the awards discussion. These folks arent necessarily all household names (yet), but theyd be my picks for the major hockey hardware if the season ended today.Hart Trophy (MVP)Yeah, Connor McDavid is pretty special. The Edmonton Oilers?captain is just 19 and leads the NHL in scoring. But the guy who has impressed me most is Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov. Coming off a career-best 30-goal season in 2015-16, a bit of a step back would have been understandable for the 23-year-old winger, especially after Lightning captain?Steven Stamkos went down with a knee injury.Nope. Kucherov has been one of the catalysts for a resurgent Tampa Bay team that has not only survived Stamkos absence but has actually thrived without him. Through Tuesday, Kucherov was second in the league in scoring -- and just three points back of McDavid, despite having played one fewer game. So he deserves the quarter-season Hart Trophy nod.Norris Trophy (top defenseman)From afar, this looks like a two-person race between Shea Weber and Brent Burns, the latter having just signed an eight-year contract extension. But when I dug a little deeper,?Ryan Suter?stood out. Yes, his minutes are down from last season, but the smooth-skating?Minnesota Wild?veteran is still averaging 27:34 a night in ice time, second in the NHL. And he continues to log those minutes mostly against opposing teams top offensive units while having to line up with three or four different defensive partners because of the Wilds injury issues.Suter is also producing slightly ahead of last seasons pace, with 0.67 points per game, and his 14 points are tied for ninth in the league. Most impressive is that the Wild lead the league in goals allowed per game and are the only team with a goals-against average under 2.00. Suter is a key part of coach Bruce Boudreaus defensive game plan.Vezina Trophy (top goaltender)No one is disputing that Carey Price remains the top goaltender in the world. But his?Montreal Canadiens?are less one-dimensional than they have been in the past -- specifically, less dependent on Price being Price every single night. And Minnesotas?Devan Dubnyk has been a key part of the stingiest team in the NHL. But for me, the early Vezina nod goes to Craig Anderson?in Ottawa.First, what Anderson is dealing with on a personal level, with his wife battling cancer, is formidable enough. But for the 35-year-old to be playing at such a high level for the surprising Ottawa Senators given his personal circumstances is more than a little mind-boggling. Anderson has faced the third-most shots in the league and boasts a .936 save percentage and 2.03 goals-against average. Hes 7-3 in November as the Senators have clawed their way into second place in the Atlantic Division. Who saw that coming?Calder Trophy (top rookie)You thought last seasons rookie-of-the-year race was hard to handicap? This seasons is going to be nuts. Patrik Laine might win the Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals in the league -- before he turns 19. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner?and?William Nylander?are all on the list of exceptional first-year players.But my pick -- and Im sticking by it -- is?Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Is there a bigger surprise than the Blue Jackets, who hit the quarter mark of the season sitting in a playoff berth? Not to me. And has there been a player of more impact, regardless of age and experience, for the Blue Jackets than Werenski, a 19-year-old Grosse Point, Michigan, native? Nope. Werenski leads all rookies in average ice time per game, and his 16 points are two off the rookie scoring lead. He sits sixth among all defenders.?Its not just the offense that has been so impressive. The Blue Jackets are sixth in the league in goals allowed per game while rolling out the games most deadly power play. Werenski is a huge part of what has become one of the most unlikely storylines in the NHL.Jack Adams (top coach)The coaching hardware, more often than not, goes to someone whose team overachieves. I dont have a problem with that, and its why youll hear John Tortorellas name in the mix given his work for the Blue Jackets. Alain Vigneault has done a masterful job with the league-leading New York Rangers, as has the?Chicago Blackhawks?Joel Quenneville.But my quarter-mark vote goes to Darryl Sutter. There was grumbling that the window was closing on the hard-as-nails veteran coach after his?Los Angeles Kings?missed the playoffs two springs ago and were bounced in the first round by the?San Jose Sharks?last spring.But after losing three in a row to start the season, the Kings have rediscovered their identity. Los Angeles has gone 12-6-1 in its last 19 games, is tied with San Jose for second place in the Pacific and is just one point out of first place. The Kings have done all that without former Vezina Trophy winner and playoff MVP Jonathan Quick?-- and, until very recently, veteran winger Marian Gaborik. Brian Burns Jersey . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. Ryan Kalil Youth Jersey . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/authentic-greg-olsen-panthers-jersey/ . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Brian Burns Youth Jersey . Those lessons were more than enough to overwhelm the Utah Jazz. Lou Williams scored 25 points and the Hawks continued their offensive upswing as they rolled to an easy 118-85 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, winning their third straight and for the fourth time in five games. Greg Little Womens Jersey . Q: Team Canada announces their Olympic roster three weeks from today. Who is general manager Steve Yzerman watching? LeBrun: Over the last 48 hours, hes taken in the home-and-home between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche with Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene being the obvious targets. METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Pelicans say guard Lance Stephenson will need surgery to repair a groin injury.The club says Stephensons groin tear was confirmed by an MRI scan performed Saturday. The Pelicans have not yet set a timetable for Stephensons return.The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Stephenson signed with New Orleans on Sept. 14.He has averraged 9.dddddddddddd7 points, 4.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 27.0 minutes during New Orleans first six games of the regular season, which all have been losses.The Pelicans next game is at Golden State on Monday night. ' ' '