Hart Trophy Talk: MacKinnon, Malkin, Kucherov the Early Favorites, Scoring at Highest Rates By Far.

[Hischier and Hughes]

So when NJ and Colorado are eliminated, MacK and Hall come out of contention, right? Since their teams didn't make it either?

Id give it to Kopitar then if the Kings made it

If all three miss I give it to Marchand, Kucherov, or someone like that

So yes. But Devils probably dont miss with Florida’s schedule and they lost last night

 

[MarkovsKnee]

There already is "the Most Outstanding Player" of the year award, it's called the Ted Lindsay Award (previously Lester B. Pearson). It is voted on by the players - as it should be. That is McDavid's award to win.

Oilers are going to miss the playoffs by 15pts or more, so the argument for MVP is that if it weren't for McDavid you'd miss the playoffs by 30pts or more? What??! Who gives a crap. You're missing the playoffs either way.

There's long been NHL precedent that to be MVP you have to be part of a playoff team. The closest someone came to winning the Hart & not have his team in the playoffs was Jarome Iginla in 2002 & he still lost to Theodore because Theodore got the Habs to the playoffs (in an extremely close vote tho).

There are way too many candidates this year to put McDavid as one of the top 3, but if he does get a nomination that's as far as it should go.

MacKinnon, Kopitar, Hall, Kucherov, Malkin & even Rinne have all had outstanding years that have helped propel their teams to the top of the standings or into playoff positions.

Giroux & Bergeron have had fantastic seasons too.

McDavid has had a great second half & he'll likely get the Ted Lindsay for it & the Art Ross, but someone else should get the Hart.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

For me it's Mackinnon or Hall, in that order provided at least one of them makes the playoffs.

If both miss, I really have no idea who to vote for.

Hall should get it over MacKinnon if both make it

MacKinnon has a linemate over 80 points. Hall’s best linemate? Hischier with 49...

 

[GOilers88]

Id give it to Kopitar then if the Kings made it

If all three miss I give it to Marchand, Kucherov, or someone like that

So yes. But Devils probably dont miss with Florida’s schedule and they lost last night

I don't think they miss either, but with a game in hand it's still a very real possibility.

 

[Seanaconda]

Hall should get it over MacKinnon if both make it

MacKinnon has a linemate over 80 points. Hall’s best linemate? Hischier with 49...

Halls bad at passing. But Palmieri would have as much as Dustin brown if he wasn’t injured / put on the second line when Bratt was beasting

. 40 points in 57 games is his best line mate tho

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

IMO:

If the aves make the playoffs, Mackinnon.
If not, but the devils make the playoffs, Hall.
Otherwise, McDavid or Kopitar.

 

[GOilers88]

Giroux is being horribly undersold in this discussion this year. The guy has done just as much with Philly as Hall or Kopitar have do e with NJ and LA,but he gets zero recognition.

 

[Gargyn]

Can you imagine the Oilers without McDavid? Lol shows how shitty a GM Chiarelli is.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Colorado missing the playoffs would be very interesting for the Hart race. Mackinnon probably has it otherwise.

Could see Malkin, Kucherov or Kopitar winning if Colorado misses out. Hall and Barkov (depending on who makes it) will get some love, but doubt they would win.

 

[aufheben]

I know its not popular, but considering the offense they lost in the off season and predictions that they would fall from the list of contenders. Considering that many of the team's core producers on offense and in the net have floundered. The Capitals are about to win another division title. Alex Ovechkin leads the league in % of team goals scored. His assist rate is higher than in recent seasons.

Like I said. Ov is old news. Leave him with another Rocket Richard Trophy and move on. But I think if we are talking MVP, I think there is a fair case for 8

Hasn't Grubauer been important too?

 

[xIronLore]

The Hart isnt awarded to "best player on a mediocre team that makes the playoffs." Hall is 17 points back on the scoring lead. He shouldn't be a finalist.

MacKinnon and Kuch should be the frontrunners. I'd put McDavid at third based on how great he is even though his team blows. Either him or Malkin.

 

[Seanaconda]

The Hart isnt awarded to "best player on a mediocre team that makes the playoffs." Hall is 17 points back on the scoring lead. He shouldn't be a finalist.

MacKinnon and Kuch should be the frontrunners. I'd put McDavid at third based on how great he is even though his team blows. Either him or Malkin.

Umm it tends to be when the clear cut best forward doesn’t make the playoffs

Hart gets weird when they can’t decide on best forward it could go to a dman or Rinne even

 

[Satans Hockey]

The Hart isnt awarded to "best player on a mediocre team that makes the playoffs." Hall is 17 points back on the scoring lead. He shouldn't be a finalist.

MacKinnon and Kuch should be the frontrunners. I'd put McDavid at third based on how great he is even though his team blows. Either him or Malkin.

It's not supposed to go to the guy who scores the most points, that's what the Art Ross trophy is for.

The Hart is for the player who was the most valuable to his team during the regular season. The Devils finish almost dead last without Hall.

 

[Kamus]

In the last 5 games:

Hall 9 points
Kop 8 points
Mack 3 point


LA and Jersey playing up, Colorado falling:

So, if this continues, which it might not, right now I have Kopitar and Hall in the running. My tie breaker goes to Hall based on his team. LA has superior players in my opinion.

 

[Devilsfan992]

Halls bad at passing. But Palmieri would have as much as Dustin brown if he wasn’t injured / put on the second line when Bratt was beasting

. 40 points in 57 games is his best line mate tho

Hall is not bad at passing lol.

 

[East Coast Icestyle]

Giroux is being horribly undersold in this discussion this year. The guy has done just as much with Philly as Hall or Kopitar have do e with NJ and LA,but he gets zero recognition.

Two line mates over 70 points, one of which is in running for the selke.

 

[YakDavid]

It's not supposed to go to the guy who scores the most points, that's what the Art Ross trophy is for.

The Hart is for the player who was the most valuable to his team during the regular season. The Devils finish almost dead last without Hall.

Then why does that take McDavid out of the equation. McDavid has offense on 46.4% of Oilers goals. While hall is 37.9% of devils goals. So how is Hall more valuable?

 

[Seanaconda]

Hall is not bad at passing lol.

Was a joke for why he doesn’t have a higher scoring linemate palms would be the second highest ppg on the team I’m guessing but only played 57 games

 

[Devilsfan992]

Was a joke for why he doesn’t have a higher scoring linemate

Good to know! My bad

 

[Satans Hockey]

Then why does that take McDavid out of the equation. McDavid has offense on 46.4% of Oilers goals. While hall is 37.9% of devils goals. So how is Hall more valuable?

I wouldn't take him of the equation but historically it's most likely going to someone who makes the playoffs. Hall would get the vote over McDavid from me if the Devils make the playoffs because he has basically carried them on his back to do so.

 

[Chet Manley]

Is Hall even a top 20 forward in the league when considering things outside of points? Top 40? Top 60? Seems weird to give someone the Hart that would likely be the 4th best player on many teams. Ex TB Pitt

 

[oXo Cube]

It's not supposed to go to the guy who scores the most points, that's what the Art Ross trophy is for.

The Hart is for the player who was the most valuable to his team during the regular season. The Devils finish almost dead last without Hall.

The problem is that the Hart isn't for anything in particular.

It's an award that gets voted on by a bunch of different people who value different things and have values that can change over time.

That the only obvious standout candidate is going to miss the playoffs blows the race wide open.

 

[xIronLore]

It's not supposed to go to the guy who scores the most points, that's what the Art Ross trophy is for.

The Hart is for the player who was the most valuable to his team during the regular season. The Devils finish almost dead last without Hall.

It's an MVP award. It goes to the best player assuming his team makes the playoffs. That last part is just to cover the "valuable" debate.

If two players are close in terms of production, sure use team strength as an argument. But Hall is no where near the leaders.

And I don't buy Hall is more valuable to the Devils than Kuch is to Tampa. Without Hall the Devils miss the playoffs. With him, they might make it as an 8th seed where statistically they will likely get bounced round 1. Without Kuch Tampa might sneak in as a 7/8 seed, but with him Tampa is a favorite to win the Cup out of the East.

Making a team a Cup favorite is more valuable than making a team an 8th seed.

 

[Jamin]

Ray Ferraro was just talking about this, i agree with him so thought id share. Here is a quote from him on the hart:

“Does it matter to you if they make the playoffs or not? And if it does or doesn’t, then that’s going to be part of your criteria. If it does matter and so you’re going to weight McDavid poorly because his team’s not going to make the playoffs, then you can’t tell anybody that you’ve got Nathan MacKinnon first because they’re not in the playoffs yet.
“Like, if they lose on the last day of the year, that means you’ve got to throw your ballot away if you have Nathan MacKinnon first. If you think McDavid can’t win the Hart because he’s not in the playoffs, then you have to make sure MacKinnon is in too. I can almost guarantee you people will use that argument one way and not apply it to everybody.”

 

[Seanaconda]

It's an MVP award. It goes to the best player assuming his team makes the playoffs. That last part is just to cover the "valuable" debate.

If two players are close in terms of production, sure use team strength as an argument. But Hall is no where near the leaders.

And I don't buy Hall is more valuable to the Devils than Kuch is to Tampa. Without Hall the Devils miss the playoffs. With him, they might make it as an 8th seed where statistically they will likely get bounced round 1. Without Kuch Tampa might sneak in as a 7/8 seed, but with him Tampa is a favorite to win the Cup out of the East.

Making a team a Cup favorite is more valuable than making a team an 8th seed.

Idk I’m a fan of pretty much every likely candidate so I would love if Malkin or kuch got it. Just don’t think it’s likely.

Mcdavid would be fine too but I do want Malkin to win another award so he gets bumped into that 100 list tbh