McDavid, Matthews, Crosby named Ted Lindsay Award finalists

Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, and Sidney Crosby are the finalists for the 2021 Ted Lindsay Award, given to the most outstanding player as voted by the NHL Players' Association, the union announced Wednesday.

McDavid led the league in scoring by a landslide, registering a whopping 105 points in the shortened 56-game season. The Edmonton Oilers captain is likely to claim the award and the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP. He's won the Ted Lindsay twice in his career.

This marks Matthews' first nomination for the honor. The Toronto Maple Leafs sniper won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy with a league-leading 41 goals in 2021.

Crosby didn't receive as much attention throughout the regular season as McDavid and Matthews, but the Pittsburgh Penguins legend was quietly fantastic. He notched 62 points in 55 games and carried a Pens roster that was decimated by injuries to a first-place finish in the East Division. Crosby's won the award three times.

All three superstars were eliminated in the first round of this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs.