Cale Makar
Avalanche stars dominate NHL midseason awards race
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Halfway through the 2025-26 NHL season, Colorado Avalanche players Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar lead the races for the Hart and Norris Trophies, respectively, amid their team's torrid start. Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers remains a close challenger in the MVP conversation, while rookie Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders tops the Calder Trophy contenders. The awards landscape shows tight competitions in several categories as the second half approaches.
Following Quinn Hughes' trade from the Vancouver Canucks to the Minnesota Wild on December 12—as covered in the first article of this series—Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and new Wild blueliner Quinn Hughes top NHL EDGE metrics in skating and shooting ahead of Sunday's Central Division matchup at Xcel Energy Center. Makar leads in points and long-range shots; Hughes excels on the power play.