1999-2000 Pronger, last Dman to win the HART- Can Quinn Hughes end the Dman Hart drought this year

[UrbanImpact]

Q Hughes playing on another level right now both offensively and defensively. Controls and tilts the game like no other player in the NHL. The Hart has always been a flashy award and primarily given to dominant forwards. Not since 2000 has a Dman won the Hart when Pronger took home the trophy. Will Q-Hughes be in the running at the end of the year?

I really thought that Quinn's Norris Winning year last year was going to be hard to top, but shockingly, Q Hughes is playing at an even higher level this year.
Has the rest of the league started noticing yet?

There are 133 NHL skaters with at least 200 five-on-five minutes so far this season. Hughes ranks first among them in expected goals share (68.8%), second in goals share behind partner Filip Hronek (78.95%), and first in Corsi (64.71%).

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854652175307489411

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854899319544950908

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854903578474971461

what a typical Canuck scorecard looks like:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854767934574338115

https://x.com/i/web/status/1848923031080419612

in comparison

Skater | HockeyStatCards.com

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854769579530322256

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854327911471571324

Click to read more...

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

U mean makar?

 

[VeteranPresence]

Cool charts but voters won't care unless he's better than *checks notes* 37th in scoring, and third in scoring at his own position.

 

[sensfan4lifee]

You don't win a hart for 10 games lol and no the hart will go to either Kaprisov or Mackinnon depending if there teams make the playoffs.

Cool charts but voters won't care unless he's better than *checks notes* 37th in scoring, and third in scoring at his own position.

there is more to defense than putting up points

U mean makar?

Makar hasnt been the best dman this year

 

[UrbanImpact]

U mean makar?

nahhhh

 

[wetcoast]

Not a chance and I love Quinn.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

You don't win a hart for 10 games lol and no the hart will go to either Kaprisov or Mackinnon depending if there teams make the playoffs.


there is more to defense than putting up points


Makar hasnt been the best dman this year

Hes up 9 points on any other D. I am someone who thinks the norris should not just be about offence. These days it is and the way voting works Makar wins the norris n only D that sniffs the hart if the season ended today

 

[Regal]

It takes a lot for a non-forward to win and with scoring so high, I doubt Hughes has much of a chance of even being a finalist even if he scores 90+ again. He’s certainly up there in terms of value to his team though.

 

[eviohh26]

If he finishes top 3 in scoring. Which he wont.

He could go for another Norris if he keeps up his play from the last couple of weeks.

Hes up 9 points on any other D. I am someone who thinks the norris should not just be about offence. These days it is and the way voting works Makar wins the norris n only D that sniffs the hart if the season ended today

Makar plays D?

 

[UrbanImpact]

Hes up 9 points on any other D. I am someone who thinks the norris should not just be about offence. These days it is and the way voting works Makar wins the norris n only D that sniffs the hart if the season ended today

Makar played more games than Q Hughes and Makar's lousy defence is contributing to AVS being a team below .500

Makar also isnt even the highest scoring player on the AVS where Q Hughes is for the Canucks while playing dominant defence to add to his over point per game total.

Thats MVP

 

[thekernel]

If they did give it out based on the first 1/8th of this NHL season... he would get some 3rd-5th votes but ultimately fall short to Kaprizov or Helleybuck.

He's Canucks MVP for sure, but competition is just that stiff.

 

[Three On Zero]

No.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

Hopefully not, but with modern voters anything is possible.

 

[Romang67]

Probably not. You don't really win the Hart as a non-forward unless all forwards who made the playoffs had unimpressive years. And even then it's difficult.

Pronger won it when the highest scoring forward in Jagr scored 34 points less than he did the year before. And, importantly, didn't break 100 points.

Theodore won when Iginla led the league with 96 points (the year after Jagr led with 121 points).

Price won it when Benn led the league with 87 points (Crosby won the year before with 104 points).

 

[UrbanImpact]

If he finishes top 3 in scoring. Which he wont.

He could go for another Norris if he keeps up his play from the last couple of weeks.


Makar plays D?

Makar's play this season is definitely reminding me of Rover KArlsson's year a couple of seasons ago.

I dont blame Makar, AVS probably asking him to play that way as they need offence ...however its is very much negatively effecting his defensive game which is atrocious/non existent at the moment. Avs are also playing below .500 so i dont know how long they can continue playing Makar this way before they decide its not really good for winning actual hockey games.

 

[eviohh26]

Kirill Kaprizov gets my vote at this current moment.

 

[LemonSauceD]

+16 difference between Hughes and Makar at the moment lol

 

[Rowlet]

Hes up 9 points on any other D. I am someone who thinks the norris should not just be about offence. These days it is and the way voting works Makar wins the norris n only D that sniffs the hart if the season ended today

More than half of his points were scored on the powerplay. He doesn't generate offense at ES without MacKinnon.

 

[UrbanImpact]

Kaprizov, Mack, Hughes, Helly

Top contenders right now IMO

 

[Crow]

Seems extremely unlikely unless a lot of the top forwards miss some games. Don’t see that happening.


Decided to look up the odds:
+15000 is the line is on him winning with about 20 guys more favored

 

[UrbanImpact]

Seems extremely unlikely unless a lot of the top forwards miss some games. Don’t see that happening.


Decided to look up the odds:
+15000 is the line is on him winning with about 20 guys more favored

I'd dabble money on that. Q Hughes keeps getting better and Van's powerplay has been atrocious thus far. Once that picks up his points will skyrocket even more.

 

[Crow]

I'd dabble money on that. Q Hughes keeps getting better and Van's powerplay has been atrocious thus far. Once that picks up his points will skyrocket even more.

I think it’s a decent bet actually. There are some real head scratchers far ahead of him like Bedard and Mitch Marner. Those are still long shots though and probably just based on name recognition.

Makar oddly is +1000. 6th worst payout odds.

I’d take Quinn over him at this point.

 

[Crossfire Hurricane]

More than half of his points were scored on the powerplay. He doesn't generate offense at ES without MacKinnon.

Shocked he isn't generating more offense playing with Parker Kelly.

 

[UrbanImpact]

I think it’s a decent bet actually. There are some real head scratchers far ahead of him like Bedard and Mitch Marner. Those are still long shots though and probably just based on name recognition.

Makar oddly is +1000. 6th worst payout odds.

I’d take Quinn over him at this point.

I think Hughes will need to finish with 100 + points along with his outstanding defensive and possession metrics and he will have a shot at the HART. Canucks winning the Pacific again would also help his case.

To win the Norris i think he will just need another 90+ point season as voters will know the massive difference in performance gap defensively between Hughes and Makar.

 

[fahad203]

Pronger won at the perfect time
Lemieux and Gretz were both out of the game

Only players challenging was Lindros and Jagr

Few years later of course Crosby and Malkin came into the picture