More MVP Worthy Player: Mackinnon, Kuch or Drai?

[DingerMcSlapshot]

Kuch.

 

[CashMash]

I said way back I think Kucherov will win the Art Ross despite me not liking him. I think he will take the Hart this year.

 

[Rschmitz]

How much value you are for your team doesn’t account for much, or Kucherov would have had more votes last year

 

[BruinLVGA]

The most MVP worthy player is the only player in the top 10 in points (he’s currently 8th) in the league who plays for a team that isn’t sitting comfortably in a playoffs position, and as a matter of fact his team is near the bottom of the league: that’d be David Pastrnak.
He’s got 86 points, followed by Marchand with 47 (when he was traded, Pastrnak was at 78 points), then Zacha with 44.
Incredible what David managed to do in such a cursed season for the Bruins. Amazing.

 

[waffledave]

FYI on fanduel Kuch is at 49 to 1 to win. Seems crazy good odds to me, it will be adjusted for sure.

 

[banks]

I'd still vote for Zach Werenski.

 

[Skidooboy]

Helle. AINEC

nobody has led the goalie stats the way he has this year...in 40+ years!!!!!

This year...
GP 57
W 43
GAA 2.01
Sv% .925
SO 7

whatever metric you choose they guy is atop it.

all while playing huge amounts for a tender and facing a big shot volume .

It's INSANE how good he is.

 

[filinski77]

My opinion based on the skaters only:

Who's having the best season:
1) Draisaitl
2) Kucherov
3) Mackinnon

Who's having the Hart-worthy year - which I know the voters will add a spice of performance vs. teammates comparison, since the above 3 players are all relatively close (even if I have Drai comfortably as my #1)
1) Draisaitl
2) Mackinnon
3) Kucherov

Draisaitl may have McDavid, but we're talking 104 vs. 90 points. And then THIRD on that team is 58 points lol. Kucherov has 81, 73, 72 points as 2-4. Mackinnon has Makar at 84 points, and then also a now gone Rantanen at third with 64 points.

For goals:
- Kucherov is tied for 3rd on his own team
- Mackinnon is leading his team, but has 2 guys with only 3 less, and another with 5 less
- Draisaitl has almost DOUBLE the goals that McDavid and Hyman have

 

[Video Nasty]

The most MVP worthy player is the only player in the top 10 in points (he’s currently 8th) in the league who plays for a team that isn’t sitting comfortably in a playoffs position, and as a matter of fact his team is near the bottom of the league: that’d be David Pastrnak.
He’s got 86 points, followed by Marchand with 47 (when he was traded, Pastrnak was at 78 points), then Zacha with 44.
Incredible what David managed to do in such a cursed season for the Bruins. Amazing.

Remember that thread about Pasta being on a 15 game point streak and one or two musing about Hart votes?

Since then, he has scored 3 goals and 11 points in 13 games, while the Bruins have lost 11 times and are just one point out of last place in the conference. There’s very little that’s incredible or amazing about his season, and to call him the most MVP worthy player is an insult to the ones truly making an impact.

 

[Freudian]

Hellebuyck deserves it, but there is such a strong pro-forward bias among the voters I expect a forward to win. Draisaitl probably has the inside track due to the goals scored, unless MacKinnon or Kucherov goes nuts down the stretch.

 

[nturn06]

Bunch of PP merchants, Secondary Sid leads the league in 5v5 points. PP points are only slightly more valuable than empty net goals.

And somehow 5 on 5 points are also more valuable than ESP, right?

And it is amazing how weak Crosby was on PP this season, never realized that. If he produced at a reasonable rate, the Penguins would be in playoffs now. Yikes.

 

[Nathaniel]

Man crazy how much of empty net merchants the top players are these days.

 

[alphahelix]

Man crazy how much of empty net merchants the top players are these days.

Draisaitl is allergic to empty nets, he shoots over 20% normally but like .2% on empty nets.

 

[Nathaniel]

Draisaitl is allergic to empty nets, he shoots over 20% normally but like .2% on empty nets.

Yeah should have excluded him. Mack at 13. Kuch at 10 with 8-10 games to go. In comparison look at 09-10. Ovechkin had 5, H.sedin 4 and Crosby 3.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Man crazy how much of empty net merchants the top players are these days.

That's so true.

 

[um]

Man crazy how much of empty net merchants the top players are these days.

Thank Patrick Roy for starting the trend of pulling goalies so early.

You used to have 1-2 shifts against the extra skater, now its 4-5(?) shifts.

 

[Nathaniel]

Thank Patrick Roy for starting the trend of pulling goalies so early.

You used to have 1-2 shifts against the extra skater, now its 4-5(?). Not sure the actual number.

Yeah goalies are getting pulled much earlier now n more often.

 

[landy]

Everyone should take what they're saying and flip it. Thats what happened last year when the voting wasn't even remotely close with MacKinnon dominating.

NHL.com voting in March of 2024 and 2025 that is a small sample size of people who actually have a real vote:

2024 had MacKinnon winning 65 (9 1st) to Kuch 49 (4 1st) to McDavid (1 1st)
2025 has MacKinnon winning 71 (9 1st) to Drais 47 (4 1st) to Helle (3 1st) to Werenski (1 1st)

Trophy Tracker: MacKinnon top choice for Hart as NHL most valuable player | NHL.com

Kucherov, McDavid also among favorites at 3-quarter mark of season by NHL.com panel

www.nhl.com

Trophy Tracker: MacKinnon of Avalanche picked to win Hart as League MVP | NHL.com

Draisaitl, Hellebuyck also among favorites at 3-quarter mark of season by NHL.com panel

www.nhl.com

Point being last season, so many here had Kuch winning convincingly only for the voting to not even being close in MacKinnons favor. This year NHL.com has MacKinnon winning by an even larger margin, yet no one here thinks he is worthy...again.

It is possible for MacKinnon to lose it from March 14th to the end of the season, but trying to bring some actually data to the argument vs "my guy is the best because of reasons."

 

[DFC]

How much value you are for your team doesn’t account for much, or Kucherov would have had more votes last year

I keep coming back to this. If Kucherov gets closer this year than last, it shows that the voters aren't really dialing into much. TB has been good this year, and Kuch has been the best player. But last year he was pretty much the only player. (Well, Hagel.)

 

[commie]

It's about a dead heat. Drai has the best numbers but having McDavid on your team all but eliminates him to me, since he's really not even the mvp of his own team.

I think Kucherov deserves it more due to him being robbed by Mack for one already.

Classic, penalizing Drai for being on the same team as McDavid, but not for MacK being on the same team as Makar, the consistent Norris winner, or Kuch being on the same team as Point and Hedman.

lol

And Drai's defensive metrics are miles ahead of MacK and Kuch.

MacK and Kuch are great players in their own way, let's not use the stupid narrative of better teammates. lol have you check the linemates that Drai has to play with this season?

 

[wetcoast]

My opinion based on the skaters only:

Who's having the best season:
1) Draisaitl
2) Kucherov
3) Mackinnon

Who's having the Hart-worthy year - which I know the voters will add a spice of performance vs. teammates comparison, since the above 3 players are all relatively close (even if I have Drai comfortably as my #1)
1) Draisaitl
2) Mackinnon
3) Kucherov

Draisaitl may have McDavid, but we're talking 104 vs. 90 points. And then THIRD on that team is 58 points lol. Kucherov has 81, 73, 72 points as 2-4. Mackinnon has Makar at 84 points, and then also a now gone Rantanen at third with 64 points.

For goals:
- Kucherov is tied for 3rd on his own team
- Mackinnon is leading his team, but has 2 guys with only 3 less, and another with 5 less
- Draisaitl has almost DOUBLE the goals that McDavid and Hyman have

If I had a ballot it would be

1. Drai
2. Helly
3. Mack
4. Eichel
5. Quinn

 

[wetcoast]

Classic, penalizing Drai for being on the same team as McDavid, but not for MacK being on the same team as Makar, the consistent Norris winner, or Kuch being on the same team as Point and Hedman.

lol

And Drai's defensive metrics are miles ahead of MacK and Kuch.

MacK and Kuch are great players in their own way, let's not use the stupid narrative of better teammates. lol have you check the linemates that Drai has to play with this season?

Not only that, it's clear that Drai is the MVP of the Oilers this year and cementing his legacy.

 

[Deno]

Helle has 43 wins.
NHL record is 48 wins
The Jets have 8 games left.
Helle will probably play 6 out of the last 8 games.
If Helle wins all 6 games he has left and breaks the NHL goalie record for wins is he then a lock for the Hart?

 

[JLo217]

Mack or Helle for me!

I think Mack has been the best hockey player for the past 2-3 years though. Helle is doing something unreal. Hopefully he can keep it rolling in the PO's. He got smoked but a much less deep Avs team last year.

 

[Fataldogg]

1. Draisaitl, 2. Kucherov, 3. Hellebuyck, 4. MacKinnon

I personally wouldn't have MacKinnon as a finalist.