This year, the NHL skipped its annual awards show, instead announcing its annual trophy winners throughout the end of the season. That’s a bit of a letdown, as the NHL Awards Show – as cringy as it is sometimes – is a nice way to bookend the season.
Show or no show, players still got their awards for being the best goalie, the best defenseman, the league MVP, and such.
But sadly, there are no awards for the player with the most punchable face, the goalie least likely to play in an NHL game who got to play in an NHL game, or the guy who changed teams the most during the season.
That is something I rectified in 2018 when I launched the Puck Junk Awards, for the true unsung heroes of hockey.
So, let’s take a look at the Puck Junk Award Winners for 2026.
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… Brandon Bussi of the Carolina Hurricanes!
Why? If you say you’ve heard of goaltender Brandon Bussi prior to this season, you’re lying. Or maybe you have his rookie card from 2024-25, when he was a backup – but did not play – for the Boston Bruins. After years toiling in the minors, Bussi finally got his big break at age 27 when the Hurricanes claimed him off waivers, and he made the most of it. Due to injuries to Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, Bussi played the majority of the games for the Hurricanes in 2025-26. And when Frederik Andersen, who played admirably in the first three rounds of the playoffs, started to falter, Bussi stepped in and played lights out. He stopped 18 out of 19 shots in his Game Three of the Stanley Cup Final. It was a loss in double-overtime, but Bussi proved he could rise to the occasion. He then started – and won – Games Four, Five and Six, including a shutout in that Cup-clinching game. Bussi’s heroics in the Final are a big reason why the Hurricanes won its first Stanley Cup in 20 years.
Past Winners:
Aliaksei Protas, Washington Capitals (2025)
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 decades ago, past recipients would have included Mario Lemieux and Peter Forsberg.
And the winner is…Jonathan Toews of the Winnipeg Jets!
Why? After playing his last game for the Chicago Blackhawks in April 2023, it looked like Jonathan Toews’ NHL career was over. He did not play in 2023-24 or 2024-25, as he was battling illnesses related to COVID complications. And when he announced that he wanted to play in the NHL again, teams didn’t exactly beat down his door to him. But “Captain Serious” made a comeback with his hometown Winnipeg Jets in 2025-26. This wasn’t a publicity stunt; Toews played in all 82 games, netted 11 goals and added 18 assists while centering the team’s third line and skating on the power play. Toews recently announced his retirement, but this time, he goes out on his own terms.
Past Winners:
Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche (2025)
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…Vyacheslav Buteyets of the Anaheim Ducks!
Why? No EBUG (Emergency Backup Goaltender) played in an NHL game during the 2025-26 season. So, the award for the least likely goalie to play in an NHL game this year is Vyacheslav Buteyets. He mainly played in the ECHL – two rungs below the NHL – this season. He was recalled in December to backup Villie Husso while Lukas Dostal was injured. Buteyets was put into the game to relieve Husso, who allowed four goals. Buteyets then allowed another three goals in 20 minutes of play in an eventual 7-0 loss to the Utah Mammoth. Definitely not the most memorable NHL debut, but an NHL debut nonetheless.
Past Winners:
Tristian Lennox, New York Islanders (2025)
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? If his name sounds familiar, it is because you are either a Blue Jackets fan, or you read this blog and remember that Mathieu Olivier also won this award in 2025. This season, Mark Kastelic and Curtas Douglas were tied for first with 10 fights, while Olivier, Ross Johnston, and Sam Carrick were in a three-way tie for third with nine fights apiece. But of the five players mentioned, Olivier had the most points out of all of them. He scored 15 goals and 11 assists for 26 points in 61 games; had he not been injured, he would have played in more games, scored more points – and fought more fights. According to HockeyFights.com, Olivier won eight of his nine fights, including bouts against Kastelic, Carrick, and Douglas.
Past Winners:
Mathieu Olivier, Columbus Blue Jackets (2025)
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? Jordan Staal won the Conn Smythe Trophy this year, and rightly so. He scored six goals during the Stanley Cup Final, including goals in Games 1 through 5, which ties a record. Even though other Hurricanes players scored more points than Staal in the playoffs, he put up the biscuit in the basket when it counted the most. Plus, the other team can’t score if they don’t have the puck, and Staal won nearly 70% of the faceoffs that he took during the Final, which set an NHL record. Staal deserved MVP honors, so the Kessel Kup will not be awarded again for the second time in two years.
Past Winners:
Not Awarded in 2025
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 Memorial Award*
(* Originally called the Claude Lemieux Award, it was renamed the Claude Lemieux Memorial Award in 2026.)
For being the guy that everyone wants to punch in the face.
And the winner is…Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers!
Why? Matthew Tkachuk only played in 31 games in 2025-26, but he still scored 34 points. He also racked up 48 penalty minutes, which includes two fighting majors. Honestly, if Tkachuk was more of a fighter and less of a turtler, he’d be more appropriate recipient for the Bob Probert Punchbowl than the Claude Lemieux Memorial Award. While Tkachuk isn’t all that great of a fighter, he is still a premier super pest, getting under opponent’s skin, and then turtling or running away when the opponent retaliates, sometimes drawing a penalty. What makes Tkachuk even more detestable is that he can put up the points. Scoring 34 points in 31 NHL games – plus six assists in six games at the Olympics – may be a small sample size, but Tkachuk has 670 points in 673 career regular season games. That point-per-game pace is the type of consistency most players would sell their soul for. And according to Rotowire, Tkachuk is the most hated player by fans in 14 different states and provinces, which is tops among his fellow rat peers.
Past Winners:
Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers (2025)
Nick Cousins, Florida Panthers (2024)
Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues (2023)
Nazem Kadri, Colorado Avalanche (2022)
Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning (2021)
Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames (2020)
Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins (2019)
Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins (2018)
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 2025-26.
And the winner is…Lukas Reichel of the Chicago Blackhawks…then of the Vancouver Canucks…and then of the Boston Bruins!
Why? Reichel needed a lot of “Change of Address” forms from the post office during the 2025-26 season. He started with the Blackhawks, was traded in October to the Canucks, and then traded again in April to the Bruins. Plus, he played in the minors with the Abbotsford Canucks and the Providence Bruins, meaning that he skated for five different teams this season. That’s a lot of moving around for a guy who appeared in just 29 NHL games and 27 AHL games in 2025-26.
Past Winners:
Mikko Rantanen, Avalanche / Hurricanes / Stars (2025)
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:
