Another NHL season has come to an end, some players won awards – and some players who should have won awards were overlooked.
Hence, the foundation of the annual Puck Junk Awards in 2018. Now in its 8th year, the Puck Junk Awards honor the unsung heroes – such as the best scorer who can fight, the player who came out of nowhere and wowed everyone, and the least-likely goalie to tend the twine.
So, without further delay, here are the Puck Junk Award Winners for 2025.
The Chris Kontos Trophy
For the player you never heard of that came out of nowhere and surprised everyone — like the way Chris Kontos did when he scored four goals for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the team’s first-ever game back in 1992.
And the winner is… Aliaksei Protas of the Washington Capitals!
Why? It took Protas four years, but he finally put himself on the map. Two seasons ago, the Belarussian had a measly six goals and 23 assists for 29 points in 78 games. That’s hardly anything to get excited about. But in 2024-25, Protas upped his game to 30 goals and 36 assists for 66 points in 76 games. Being a 30-goal scorer in the NHL is a big deal. So is skating on the top like with Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome. And at just 24 years of age, Protas’ can only go up from here.
Past Winners:
Arturs Silovs, Vancouver Canuckss (2024)
Aiden Hill, Vegas Golden Knights (2023)
Joe Snively, Washington Capitals (2022)
Alex Nedeljkovic, Carolina Hurricanes (2021)
Dominik Kubalik, Chicago Blackhawks (2020)
Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues (2019)
William Karlsson, Vegas Golden Knights (2018)
The Boomerang of the Year Award
For the player that went away and then came back. Had this award existed a decade ago, past recipients would have included Peter Forsberg and Claude Lemieux.
And the winner is…Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche!
Why? Landeskog, the Avalanche’s team captain, made his NHL return after three years of recovering from a knee injury that required two surgeries. THREE YEARS! Prior to the 2025 playoffs, his last NHL action was hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2022. He then missed the entire 2022-23 regular season and playoffs, the entire 2023-24 regular season and playoffs, then the entire 2024-25 regular season. Landeskog returned for Game 3 in the first round of the 2025 NHL playoffs, scoring one goal and three assists in five games. Although the Avs lost the series, they regained their captain.
Past Winners:
Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings (2024)
Eric Staal, Florida Panthers (2023)
Brian Boyle, Pittsburgh Penguins (2022)
Joe Thornton, Toronto Maple Leafs (2021)
Justin Williams, Carolina Hurricanes (2020)
Ilya Kovalchuk, Los Angeles Kings (2019)
Mike Fisher, Nashville Predators (2018)
The Len Broderick Trophy
For the goalie least likely to play in an NHL game, but actually got to play in an NHL game. The award is named after Len Broderick, who was a “standby” goalie that suited up for the Montreal Canadiens for one game in 1957 to fill in for Jacques Plante.
And the winner is…Tristian Lennox of the New York Islanders!
Why? Although an EBUG (Emergency Backup Goaltender) didn’t get into a game this year, quite a few goalies made their NHL debuts in 2024-25. The least-likely goalie to get into a game this year is Tristian Lennox, who missed 14 months with a knee injury, then saw limited action in the AHL and ECHL in 2024-25 and was essentially 5th on the Islanders’ depth chart. Lennox had to overcome a lot of obstacles – and a lot of proverbial dominoes had to fall – in order for him to finally get a taste of NHL action. And when he did…it tasted terrible! Marcus Högberg had allowed six goals and was replaced with Lennox by Isles’ head coach Patrick Roy, who knows all about being left in net for a bunch of goals. But Lennox allowed one goal on two shots and was replaced by Högberg five minutes later.
Past Winners:
Yaniv Perets, Carolina Hurricanes (2024)
Matt Berlin, Edmonton Oilers & Jett Alexander, Toronto Maple Leafs (2023)
Tom Hodges, Anaheim Ducks (2022)
Michael Houser, Buffalo Sabres (2021)
David Ayres, Carolina Hurricanes (2020)
Hunter Miska, Arizona Coyotes (2019)
Scott Foster, Chicago Blackhawks (2018)
The Bob Probert Punchbowl
For being a tough mofo that can fight and contribute offensively.
And the winner is…Mathieu Olivier of the Columbus Blue Jackets!
Why? Olivier was first in the NHL during the 2024-25 season with 15 fights – and according to HockeyFights.com, he won all of them. But Olivier used his hands for other purposes, too, netting 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points. Make no mistake, Olivier may have had the most fights – Mark Kastelic of the Bruins was second with 10 fights – but the Blue Jackets winger is not a goon. He played all 82 games last season, skated on the team’s third line, and averaged 14:28 minutes of ice time per game.
Past Winners:
Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators (2024)
Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators (2023)
Tanner Jeannot, Nashville Predators (2022)
Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators (2021)
Ryan Reaves, Las Vegas Golden Knights (2020)
Michael Ferland, Carolina Hurricanes (2019)
Tom Wilson, Washington Capitals (2018)
The Kessel Kup
For being the playoff MVP who was not given the playoff MVP award because someone more popular was voted as the playoff MVP. Named in honor of Penguins’ forward Phil Kessel, who should have won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2016 as the playoff MVP, only to lose to Sidney Crosby.
And the winner is…nobody!
Why? Sam Bennett truly deserved to win the Conn Smythe Trophy this season. He led the postseason with 15 goals. He also had seven assists, giving him 22 points in the postseason. Teammates Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe, and Sam Reinhart each had 23 points, edging out Bennett by a point, but that’s splitting hairs. Goals win games. Bennett had the most goals in the playoffs – including five in the Final. He deserved to be named playoff MVP. Therefore, the Kessel Kup will not be awarded this year.
Past Winners:
Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers (2024)
Not Awarded in 2023
Not Awarded in 2022
Not Awarded in 2021
Not Awarded in 2020
Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues (2019)
Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals (2018)
The Claude Lemieux Award
For being the guy that everyone wants to punch in the face.
And the winner is…Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers!
Why? Bennett rightly won the Conn Smythe Trophy this year for scoring goals. But the guy is also an agitator. During the playoffs, he accidentally on purpose hit Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz in the back of the head with an elbow, knocking him out of the playoffs. Leafs’ head coach Craig Berube, who knows a few things about being a dirty player, said “Elbow to the head. Clearly, clear as day.” This also made Leafs Nation hate Bennett even more. Remember, he also injured Leafs’ forward Matthew Knies two years ago in the playoffs. As far as Leafs fans are concerned, Bennett is the probably why their team can’t win the Stanley Cup. Allegedly, the Maple Leafs have over 3 million fans, so that’s a lot of people to have angry at you.
The McLlwain Medal of Merit
Named in honor of NHL journeyman Dave McLlwain, who suited up for four different NHL teams in one season, this award honors the guy who changed teams the most in 2024-25.
And the winner is…Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche…then of the Carolina Hurricanes…then of the Dallas Stars!
Why? We acknowledge that Andrei Kuzmenko also played with three different NHL teams in 2024-25. But Rantanen being part of two blockbuster trades in the same year takes the cake, er, medal this year. After the Avs balked at giving the Finnish winger a pay increase for next season, they traded him to the Hurricanes. Rantanen told the ‘Canes that he did not want to play in Carolina. So, after 13 games, Rantanen was traded – AGAIN! – to Dallas, who promptly signed him to an eight-year deal at $12M per season. Players sometimes change teams twice in a season. Blockbuster trades sometimes happen twice in a season. But never has a player of Rantanen’s caliber been traded twice in the same season.
Past Winners:
Anthony Beauvillier, Canucks / Blackhawks / Predators (2024)
Dryden Hunt, Rangers / Avalanche / Maple Leafs (2023)
Riley Nash, Jets / Lightning / Coyotes (2022)
Greg Pateryn, Wild / Avalanche / Sharks (2021)
Ilya Kovalchuk, Kings / Canadiens / Capitals (2020)
What player would you like to see win one of these awards? Or what new award would you like to see? Leave a suggestion below or hit me up on X/Twitter.
Love hockey? Join the Puck Junk Facebook Group, listen to the Podcast, subscribe to the Newsletter and YouTube Channel, and support this site at the Online Shop.
Follow Sal Barry on Bluesky @PuckJunk and on X/Twitter @PuckJunk. ■
Related Posts:
