I don't know, but considering how much individual hardware the Caps were getting while going nowhere in the playoffs a few years back.... I'll take is as a good sign.
Related question.... why is the Hart the pinnacle of NHL awards?
The Lindsay is the "most outstanding," which is better than the weird formula of dominance relative to your team that goes into the MVP award in every sport. The Lindsay is also voted on by the players, not the press corps. Again, more impressive to me and I would think more important to the players.
The thread that inevitably appears on our boards sometime in January or February should be "Who wins the Lindsay?", not "Who wins the Hart?"