2023-24 Hart Memorial Trophy finalists: Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid | Winner: Nathan MacKinnon

[zizbuka]

It really wasn't that close of a race. I can't recall the last non McDavid player to lead the Art Ross race for such a large majority of the season, and by the final week Kucherov was in cruise control and had it all but wrapped up. MacKinnon probably gets homer votes but the voters aren't that biased, and Kucherov should win rather easily with likely around 60% of first place votes.

This isn't the leading scorer award. It's value to the team. My bet is MacKinnon, but should be close.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Pretty crazy that Howe is on this list TWICE.

We're getting off topic, but this is worth emphasizing, because some people will dismiss Howe because of the era he played in. He placed top five in Hart voting 15 times in the span of 16 seasons. Yes, it was easier when there were only six teams, but nobody else was even close:

Most times in the top five in Hart voting, 1951 to 1966

• 15x - Gordie Howe
• 7x - Jean Beliveau
• 5x - Bobby Hull, Doug Harvey, Glen Hall
• 4x - Terry Sawchuk, Red Kelly, Andy Bathgate
• 3x - Maurice Richard, Ted Kennedy
• 2x - seven different players including Stan Mikita, Frank Mahovlich and Milt Schmidt
• 1x - twelve different players

 

[HolyGhost]

WOW no Matthews? Thought those 60+ goals meant everything

 

[Roksta]

Do you know what a pundit is?

PS - Stay in School

Oh I'm sorry, english is my 3rd language but I do know what a pundit is. But thanks for worrying

Do you know what a meme is? Here's a little help for you

"Are XYZ in the room with us?"

A sarcastic way of saying that you don't believe XYZ exists or or that XYZ is not relevant to the conversation.

You started a conspiracy and people were calling you out on where you heard that because they never heard it themselves

Therefore they don't believe these "U.S pundits" exists and think you are making this up

Thus I asked you if these so called imaginary "us pundits" are in the room with us

Do you get it now? Or do you need education yourself on the world of internet papi?

 

[63 others]

3 deserving finalists and tbh, winners

 

[blundluntman]

I honestly expected McDavid to be left out of the top 3 so this is a surprise

 

[WarriorofTime]

I can't believe a 69 GOAL SELKE FINALIST was not a Hart Trophy Finalist (playoffs not included)

 

[TheStatican]

Almost like scoring more than the other team wins you hockey games or something.

Almost like preventing the other team from scoring wins you hockey games or something.

Also by that logic why even bother with having a Hart trophy to begin with since you apparently just want to give it to the Ross winner.

 

[pcruz]

I honestly expected McDavid to be left out of the top 3 so this is a surprise

I thought he should have won to be honest.

Takes a team near dead last, to near the top of the West.
Gets close to Art Ross despite plating a handful less games, and a massive discrepancy in power play time, compared to the 2 guys ahead of him.

First player in like 30 years to break 100 assists.

Of the 3 finalists, plays by far the best 2 way game.

Plays in the middle of the ice and not floating around on the wings where he can cheat to offense.

When he looks behind him, the best he can see is Bouchard and Skinner, whereas the other 2 can see Makar and Hedman/Vasi.


I see exactly no argument over McDavid coming from Kucherov or Mackinnon.

And the other guy was just as worthy considering he is the only guy I can think of who wins the Rocket and is nominated for Selke - EVER

And he wins the Rocket by scoring the most goals in 30 years, and blows 2nd place out of the water....hell, he scores more even strength goals than almost anyone in the league scored total goals.



But narrative means Mack has to win it this year because he had a great season and hasn't won it yet.

It's his turn this year.

 

[Rschmitz]

It's going to be MacKinnon.

Mack and Kucherov will finish similar in 1st place votes (Kuch a good chance to have more), but Mack is going to to get way more 2nd place votes that Kuch.

You may be right

 

[Leaf Fans]

WOW no Matthews? Thought those 60+ goals meant everything

No, not everything.

 

[Kranix]

It will be fun to see which writers left McDavid or Kuch off of their ballots this year.

 

[Leaf Fans]

I can't believe a 69 GOAL SELKE FINALIST was not a Hart Trophy Finalist (playoffs not included)

I guess you can argue a case for him, but you can't diminish the years of the 3 finalists either. Maybe when thd votes come out he will have been in the top five.

 

[spiny norman]

For me, it's MacKinnon.

 

[JaegerDice]

The 3 obvious favorites.

MacKinnon is my choice. All 3 have a case, but I don't think a player dominated games the way MacKinnon did this season.

 

[pcruz]

And the other guy was just as worthy considering he is the only guy I can think of who wins the Rocket and is nominated for Selke - EVER

Let me expand on this a little bit here.

There have been 2 instances that a player who wins the Rocket Richard Trophy finish the season top 10 in Selke voting....well, 3 now, I guess.

Auston Matthews, Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews.

If you look at it the other way around, where do the Selke winners finish the season in terms of goal scoring?

Sergei Fedorov won a Selke and ended up 3rd in goals scored once. In 1993/94.
Fedorov ended up with 72% of Hart votes that season.


What Matthews did this year hasn't been done before the closest is that the player leading the league in goals ends top 5 in Selke votes:

Back in 1985/86, Jari Kurri led the league in goals with 68, and ended 5th in Selke voting. He was not in contention for the Hart Trophy because some guy put up 163 assists and 215 points. He was also on the same team as Kurri.




How the voters wrapped themselves into pretzels trying to ignore a feat that has literally never been done before, and the closest instances to that same achievement happened 30 and 40 years ago, I have no clue.

Not even a finalist is just something else entirely.

 

[Namikaze Minato]

I wonder how many different players will have first/second and third place votes.

The finalists should all have votes in each you would assume, how many other players snuck into 1st and 2nd places?

 

[Realgud]

I wonder how many different players will have first/second and third place votes.

The finalists should all have votes in each you would assume, how many other players snuck into 1st and 2nd places?

Matthews probably has a few 1st place votes from the same people who voted him in for the Selke. However, I do think a few 3rd place votes would be fair as 69 goals is still 69 freaking goals.

 

[Rob Brown]

WOW no Matthews? Thought those 60+ goals meant everything

I can't believe a 69 GOAL SELKE FINALIST was not a Hart Trophy Finalist (playoffs not included)

You guys have serious problems.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

I thought he should have won to be honest.

Takes a team near dead last, to near the top of the West.
Gets close to Art Ross despite plating a handful less games, and a massive discrepancy in power play time, compared to the 2 guys ahead of him.

First player in like 30 years to break 100 assists.

Of the 3 finalists, plays by far the best 2 way game.

Plays in the middle of the ice and not floating around on the wings where he can cheat to offense.

When he looks behind him, the best he can see is Bouchard and Skinner, whereas the other 2 can see Makar and Hedman/Vasi.


I see exactly no argument over McDavid coming from Kucherov or Mackinnon.

And the other guy was just as worthy considering he is the only guy I can think of who wins the Rocket and is nominated for Selke - EVER

And he wins the Rocket by scoring the most goals in 30 years, and blows 2nd place out of the water....hell, he scores more even strength goals than almost anyone in the league scored total goals.



But narrative means Mack has to win it this year because he had a great season and hasn't won it yet.

It's his turn this year.

this

 

[TheGuiminator]

Of all three finalists, Kucherov has the better case, but I think MacKinnon wins it

 

[yeaher]

Let me expand on this a little bit here.

There have been 2 instances that a player who wins the Rocket Richard Trophy finish the season top 10 in Selke voting....well, 3 now, I guess.

Auston Matthews, Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews.

If you look at it the other way around, where do the Selke winners finish the season in terms of goal scoring?

Sergei Fedorov won a Selke and ended up 3rd in goals scored once. In 1993/94.
Fedorov ended up with 72% of Hart votes that season.


What Matthews did this year hasn't been done before the closest is that the player leading the league in goals ends top 5 in Selke votes:

Back in 1985/86, Jari Kurri led the league in goals with 68, and ended 5th in Selke voting. He was not in contention for the Hart Trophy because some guy put up 163 assists and 215 points. He was also on the same team as Kurri.




How the voters wrapped themselves into pretzels trying to ignore a feat that has literally never been done before, and the closest instances to that same achievement happened 30 and 40 years ago, I have no clue.

Not even a finalist is just something else entirely.

Fedorov was ten times the player Matthews is. Are you f***ing kidding me? Fedorov was a Selke Winner, Stanley Cup Winner, and Hart Winner. I'd take Fedorov over Matthews knowing both would be full drama, Fedorov although mercurial showed up on a couple of huge runs for Detroit. Matthews won a series.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Mack
Kuch

Mcdavid

 

[Buck Naked]

It's one of those years where you kind of hope for a super close result because I think a case can be made for all three of them. Have a feeling MacKinnon will win this by a lot though, it's pretty much his turn to play with the award.

 

[CanadienShark]

No Matthews?

These are the 3 most deserving candidates.