It didn't have to be this way, you know.

If Sidney Crosby had just managed to stay healthy for more than half a season, the only question about the voting for the NHL's most valuable player probably would have been whether Crosby would finish on top of every ballot.

But the concussion that has prevented Crosby from playing since Jan. 5 also has made him an afterthought in Hart Trophy voting. Any mention he might get now would strictly be a gesture of recognition for the remarkable first half he had.

With Crosby out of contention, Vancouver left winger Daniel Sedin, the league's leading scorer, seems to have emerged as the frontrunner to succeed his twin brother Henrik as the Hart winner.

Still, just as the standings can change during the coming week, so can the way names are arranged on trophy ballots, and it's a bit early to send the Hart out to be engraved.

Other guys who have earned a place in the MVP conversation include, in no particular order:

• Boston goalie Tim Thomas -- Goalies don't often win the Hart, but Thomas is the main reason the Bruins have been one of the East's top clubs.

• Anaheim right winger Corey Perry -- Late-season kick carried him to the top of the NHL goal-scoring list.

• Tampa Bay right winger Martin St. Louis -- His chances are hurt by being teammates with Steven Stamkos, another contender.

• Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury -- His work helped to keep injuries to guys like Crosby and Evgeni Malkin from ruining the Penguins' season.

• Chicago center Jonathan Toews -- A two-way force who fueled the Blackhawks' second-half surge.

• Calgary right winger Jarome Iginla -- Flames' late-season stumble won't help his cause.

Calder Trophy

San Jose center Logan Couture entered the weekend with eight game-winning goals, twice as many as any other rookie. His knack for producing when it matters most is a good reason to put him on top of the rookie of the year ballot.

Others who figure to get Calder consideration:

• Carolina center Jeff Skinner -- He's not only the youngest player in the league, but the top point-producer among first-year players.

• New York Islanders right winger Michael Grabner -- Think Florida regrets putting this guy on waivers in October?

• Philadelphia goalie Sergei Bobrovsky -- The ultimate success of his season, like that of his team, will be determined in the playoffs, but Bobrovsky has made it possible for the Flyers to contend for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

• Chicago goalie Corey Crawford -- He, not Marty Turco, took the lead in trying to fill the void created by Antti Niemi's departure.

Jack Adams Trophy

Had New Jersey managed to sneak into the playoffs after being several light-years out of them in early January, Jacques Lemaire wouldn't have simply won the Adams, which is voted on by members of the NHL Broadcasters Association, he might have had it renamed after him.

The Devils faded in the closing weeks of the season, though, and while Lemaire still figures to get a lot of support, he's not a clear-cut choice. Remember, New Jersey could have missed the playoffs without him.

Conversely, it seems unlikely that the Penguins would have done as well as they did, under the circumstances, without some exceptional work by Dan Bylsma and his staff. They kept the Penguins in the running for a top seed in the East despite losing more than 300 man-games to injury, many to core players.

Others worthy of support:

• Nashville's Barry Trotz -- The guy works magic every single season. Hard to believe he's never won an Adams.

• Tampa Bay's Guy Boucher -- Not the only one responsible for the Lightning's resurgence, but he has played a big part in it.

• Phoenix's Dave Tippett -- Hockey might not work very well in the desert, but Tippett certainly does.

• Philadelphia's Peter Laviolette -- Orchestrated a strong season after guiding the Flyers to the Cup final last spring.

• Detroit's Mike Babcock -- Steered the Red Wings through some serious injury problems and back to the top of the Central Division.

Tuesday: New Jersey ... The end of the first regular-season home schedule at Consol Energy Center. A victory would allow the Penguins to finish with 25 there.

Friday: at New York Islanders ... Cue the clowns and wild animals, just in case there's a sequel to the circus of Feb. 11.

Penguins Plus, a blog by Dave Molinari and Shelly Anderson, is featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.