Nut Upstrom
You dirty dog!
NA journalist will not vote a Euro over a good old Canadian boy unless he is the obvious choice. If its close, the Hart got to Mac.
Is Leon Draisaitl Gonna Break Nathan MacKinnon's Hart?
- Thread starter Danarqhy
- Start date
Avsfan1921
Registered User
- Oct 5, 2019
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You’d have to be pretty naive to think a NA journalist is not going to push for their guy regardless of nationality. Canadian media has been, and will forever be, all over the narrative for a member of a Canadian club to win it. Whatever their nationality. Sure, if there are two fighting for it in Canada, (Leon and Connor for example) they may push for the Canadian but if it’s Leon or Connor vs Eichel, or MacKinnon, or any American team they will be all in on the oilers boys, almost unanimously.
JoeSakic13
Registered User
What were the narrative reasons Mac beat Kuch for it last year?
I seem to recall a combination of more goal+ kuch relied on too many Empty Net points. No?
This year just feels a lot like MacK vs Kuch did last season. I dunno.
JoeSakic13
Registered User
Cherry picking some of the dumber fans on here from last year. Empty Net points shouldn’t be an asterisk stat; if they were so easy then everyone would load up on them.
I for one thought Kucherov was going to win last year because his team would have been a lottery team without him. Posted on here about it several times.
That said, MacK has been the better player and has had more points this year. Is it impossible that Drai wins the Hart? No, but right now it’s Mack’s to lose IMO.
It's not a "better player" award.
The Hart is a narrative award, based on who has the best "story".
Messier won 2 Harts when Lemieux and Gretzky were in their prime.
Taylor Hall won a few years ago.
Jose Theodore won one.
Neither has ever been considered the best player in the world.
So who has the better story this season? Drai or MacK?
Last year the EN points were used to discredit Kucherovs case for the Hart.
JoeSakic13
Registered User
I think you’re giving the voters way too much credit here.
Didn’t several ballots for all-star teams last year get excluded because they didn’t vote the correct number of players? Not to mention another didn’t get their votes in on time if I remember correctly.
Considering the difference in empty net points and that MacKinnon's lead in points is solely in secondary assists... You need to have lots of confidence in points specifically, even though both goals and primary points have been proven to be more predictive of team success than plain points.
Nogatco Rd
Got more soul than a sock with a hole
- Apr 3, 2021
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Studz
Registered User
Draisaitl is so good he makes "The best player in the world" the second best player on the team. Pay that man his money!
DudeWhereIsMakar
Bergevin sent me an offer sheet
Bank Shot
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It would be pretty typical of the hockey writers association to ignore the exact same arguments they used last year to give the Hart to Mackinnon over Kucherov.
John Mandalorian
2022 Avs: The First Dance
- Nov 29, 2018
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You’re forgetting that Tampa fans were squawking about MacKinnon having Rantanen.
That wasn't the point. Matthews put up one of the best goalscoring seasons of the era, while missing a few games too. Drai is going to win a solid Rocket but nothing particularly special (and no his lead over the others doesn't change that).
I agree that Drai is the leader now but Mac building a ten point lead in points may make it really close. He doesn't have the luxury of the other team focusing on another superstar forward.
So to be clear, you don't think it's easier to score vs an empty net than it is to score vs a goalie? Or what point are you trying to make?
Here's the thing. Let's say a team is leading by two goals with 1:30 left. How likely are they to win, 99%? After you score the empty net goal, how likely is the team to win now, 99.9%?
Empty net goals, in general, are relatively low-impact goals because the probability of the opponent scoring a goal without a goalie is relatively low to begin with.
So, yes, on average, empty net goals are worth significantly less than goals against goaltenders, when it comes to how much they influence the ultimate outcome of the game.
If it was matthews over McDavid a few years ago I don’t know how Drai doesn’t win this
JackSlater
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- Apr 27, 2010
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I would vote for Draisaitl over MacKinnon as things stand right now, things can change though. I can't say it's easy to see how voters would go though, which it was last year. They want a narrative and I don't see much of one with either Draisaitl or MacKinnon right now.
46 goals >>> 27 goals.
Good one, pal.
Mack will need to put a few more in those empty nets.
OilersFanatics505
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We can argue about this all day but all I care about is a cup and Mack is certainly closer to obtaining another one before we do.
Lafleurs Guy
Guuuuuuuy!
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The Gr8 Dane
L'harceleur
Yes because you guys have had the worst management in hockey for like 10 years.
OilersFanatics505
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That’s certainly a take when it took a Covid Cup for you guys to get within 3 games of a Cup where we got within 1 game… so the last 10 years bit is kinda an iffy statement.
This is Hutson's year anyways, maybe when he takes a year off to cure cancer one of these guys can win it, until then they can both zip it.
The Gr8 Dane
L'harceleur
Habs Gainey and Bergevin reign is certainly up there for worst but not sure we are beating out Benning Chiarelli and Holland just in Canada alone!
I tend to agree that Drai should get it based on the difference in goals today. The man might score 60 goals and that is just so impressive. For me personally, the "details" and how he defends and looks after the puck have taken leaps forward in the last couple years as well. It doesn't show up on stats sheet but does in the win column.
I also think this story that Mackinnon scores a pile of empty net goals is pretty wild. He has 4. Leon has 3. EN assists are a factor. But they are generally created by stealing possession, down a man, against the other team's top 6 players in a critical moment in the game. I value that, but maybe I am alone there.
I can say I watch both teams quite a bit and Drai's supporting cast has been quite a bit better for most of the year. More importantly, its been more consistent. The Avs have really good depth after the deadline, but for most of the season the roster depth was downright awful. They have had close to 50 players dress for them this season and there has been almost no continuity for Mackinnon (on the PP or 5 on 5).
We are blessed enough to be in a year we have 2 deserving candidates. Unfortunately, only one can win. I for one, hope we get to see this match up in the West final, where it really counts.
I also think this story that Mackinnon scores a pile of empty net goals is pretty wild. He has 4. Leon has 3. EN assists are a factor. But they are generally created by stealing possession, down a man, against the other team's top 6 players in a critical moment in the game. I value that, but maybe I am alone there.
I can say I watch both teams quite a bit and Drai's supporting cast has been quite a bit better for most of the year. More importantly, its been more consistent. The Avs have really good depth after the deadline, but for most of the season the roster depth was downright awful. They have had close to 50 players dress for them this season and there has been almost no continuity for Mackinnon (on the PP or 5 on 5).
We are blessed enough to be in a year we have 2 deserving candidates. Unfortunately, only one can win. I for one, hope we get to see this match up in the West final, where it really counts.
