Did Mackinnon win the Hart because of pro Canadian Bias

[Mighty Makar]

My comment was about Kucherov.

Okay.

 

[x Tame Impala]

You're a chimpanzee typing on a keyboard if you think he won because of some Canadian/anti-Russian bias. MacK had a great season. Most points in the league isn't the end all, be all. Get over yourselves

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Wonder how many Russian bot accounts are the ones complaining about pro-Canadian bias.

 

[nowhereman]

No, he didn't. But this thread will still be used as a therapy session for certain posters.

Claims of Hart-winning bias are absurd, given the last few decades of voting history. Before this year's controversial (lol) win, you couldn't name me a sinlgle Canadian player in the last 30 years who won the Hart over a more-deserving European. You just can't.

Funny enough, the closest Hart race in the last 20 years (2012-13) was won by a Russian who beat out a Canadian who was clearly better than him that year. But, yeah, bias!

 

[Regal]

I think it had more to do with MackInnon being a finalist 4 times before more than anything. Not to say he wasn't deserving this year, but I'm sure the voters wanted to make sure he got his after missing out so many times.

Pretty much. As mentioned early, if the reverse was true and MacKinnon had won the Hart in 2018 and Kucherov somehow didn’t win in 2019, the voting almost certainly would have changed. It would have been interesting if both had won before, though I get the feeling it would have been Kucherov simply because of the point lead over 2nd on the team (which is pretty lazy but the voters frequently are lazy).

Narratives are far more important than biases in voting. Canadian bias exists but I don’t believe it really impacts award voting at this point. 14 of the last 30 Hart winners aren’t Canadian

 

[BraveCanadian]

No, it was a Hart worthy season by MacK but I think I would have picked Kucherov.. it’s close

 

[Muffin]

The players themselves voted him for the Ted Lindsey soooo

 

[22FUTON9]

obviously bias, but no. Kucherov could have won but the only thing he really had going was having 4 more points and reaching 100 assists (which is impressive from a historic standpoint for sure)
Mack just had a much more balanced season overall. You look at any advanced metrics, both defensively and offensively, Mackinnon’s season was just better. He was actually one of the better defensive players this season.
Most analytics tend to favor finishing and play driving, so it’s not always perfect, but it definitely gives you a pretty solid idea.

Overall Mackinnon was the better player IMO, if the criteria was “who had the most historic season” then it should go to Kuch, but that’s obviously not the case.

 

[Lampedampe]

So you're saying biases exists? Wow, looking forward to seeing what other first year undergraduate topics you have to expound upon. Maybe the intersectionality of biases and the much feared old boys club. Because I'm sure that it really makes a difference to Canadian hockey writers whether or not Nathan MacKinnon gets a Hart trophy and becomes the 73rd (or whatever it is) Canadian to do so.

Nope, I'm specifically saying that cultural biases exists, and plays a part for voters for these awards.

Is your last name Kruger btw?

 

[ohcomeonref]

The only time Canadians feel nationalistic is during the Olympics. We don't give a f*** if a player is Canadian or not when it comes to awards and whatnot.

 

[ViD]

Yes

Kucherov also deliberately humiliated at the NHL awards show

They’re punishing him for his ASG performance

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I voted yes but why is there no "I promise I'm unbiased" qualifier for the "yes" option?

 

[SillyRabbit]

MacKinnon was due.

If Kucherov had never won an Art Ross or Hart, I think the narrative would've been completely different this season.

But the voters have been wanting to give MacKinnon a major individual award for a while and this was his season.

So there was definitely some narratives at play here, but it wasn't a pro-Canadian bias.

It was a combination of voter fatigue, popularity and media narratives.

 

[bobbyking]

I thought he won because he's Chinese

 

[Mez]

No, he lost because the narrative that MacK "was due," couldn't be overcome.

 

[ESH]

I genuinely think the main factor was that Kucherov already had a Hart

 

[the_fan]

Isn’t McDavid more popular Canadian? They would have given it to him if this was a Canadian bias

 

[Dr Salt]

He won because he was the only player without one and it would feel wrong if he didn't have one.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

MacKinnon deserved it, he had the best season. Kucherov scored more points because he set the NHL record for EN points despite being one of the worst defensive players in the league.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Yes

Kucherov also deliberately humiliated at the NHL awards show

They’re punishing him for his ASG performance

Good

 

[KevinRedkey]

It was close between 3-4 guys, and Mac was the only one that didnt have a major individual trophy. Being Canadian had nothing to do with it, but it certainly screams 'lifetime acheivment award' IMO.

 

[x Tame Impala]

MacKinnon deserved it, he had the best season. Kucherov scored more points because he set the NHL record for EN points despite being one of the worst defensive players in the league.

Where can I find EN point data? A quick search hasn’t given me anything.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Where can I find EN point data? A quick search hasn’t given me anything.

Naturalstattrick.com

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

I think Russian bias was a small factor, but I think the bigger factor was the media's desire to give a trophy to Mack because "he was due". After years of talking him up as one of the best in the game despite him never him winning an individual trophy they had their chance to give him one, and being a good old Canadian boy certainly didn't hurt.

Had Mack won the year Hall won, I think this vote would have gone to Kuch because by every metric they've used for this award in the past Kuch was the logical choice.

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

... despite being one of the worst defensive players in the league.

Hedman was the only Tampa player with a better +/- than Kuch. How can one of the worst defensive players in the league have the best +/- of any forward on his team?