NHL.com Trophy Tracker - Hart Trophy

[Nadal On Clay]

NHL.com

I would think putting together the best ES season in nearly 30 years is more impressive than a lot of what you noted on that list.

Just look at the Flames goal differential with and without Gaudreau on the ice. They just clinched their division, but without Gaudreau they probably miss the playoffs.

It’s a nice trivia bit and an impressive feat, that’s for sure. Still have trouble seeing how it makes him more valuable than the other options, especially when you consider how dominant his line was at ES compared to the others

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

It’s a nice trivia bit and an impressive feat. Still have trouble seeing how it makes him more valuable than the other options, especially when you consider how dominant his line was at ES compared to the others.

I think goal differential is a pretty valuable thing in a game where the objective is to outscore your opponent. I believe they have a negative 5v5 differential without him... And Tkachuk and Lindholm have been similarly mediocre without him, dating all the way back to last year.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

I think goal differential is a pretty valuable thing in a game where the objective is to outscore your opponent. I believe they have a negative 5v5 differential without him... And Tkachuk and Lindholm have been similarly mediocre without him, dating all the way back to last year.

I was obviously referencing to Gaudreau’s ES totals.

I doubt Calgary were to miss the playoffs without him, as they’d still be one of the best defensive teams, but I will give to you that Gaudreau’s goal differential is indeed impressive.

 

[binop7]

Mcdavid is clearly the best in the league but expectations are so high for him that he needs to lap the competition to win a Hart. If this was a Lindsay then the results would be different. Shesterkin is putting up prime Hasek numbers, Gaudreau put up the most 5x5 points in 30 years, Josi is putting up points that very few Dmen in NHL history have put up, Matthews will be one of the few players to score 60 goals in the last 30 years and Huberdeau broke the LW assist record and might win the Art Ross. This is such a crazy year and any of those 6 would win in any other year.

Is he really clearly the best this year? Huberdeau is joint level on points. Matthews almost at 60 goals. McDavid is not definitively the best this season.

Looks like the hart is going to come down to the last few games of the season. Incredible stuff honestly.

 

[Bank Shot]

NHL.com

I would think putting together the best ES season in nearly 30 years is more impressive than a lot of what you noted on that list.

Just look at the Flames goal differential with and without Gaudreau on the ice. They just clinched their division, but without Gaudreau they probably miss the playoffs.

I hope Gaudreau does win the Hart this year. It will be hilarious to see the results next season when Gaudreau + Tkachuk make more then McDavid and Draisaitl.

 

[Paul4587]

Still a handful of games left but to me there’s a clear top 3 forwards in no particular order in McDavid, Gaudreau and Matthews. On the backend Josi and Makar both have arguments but ultimately I prefer all three top forwards. Shesterkin is the only goalie with a good argument and I think he sneaks in as a finalist.

 

[Paul4587]

I just hope it's neither McDavid nor Matthews.

I guarantee you’ll get your wish in regards to the former. The latter depends on how he does when he returns from injury. He hits 60 and I think the Hart is his.

 

[centipede2233]

I guarantee you’ll get your wish in regards to the former. The latter depends on how he does when he returns from injury. He hits 60 and I think the Hart is his.

Agreed 60 and rocket and it’s a lock, not that I want that, just my assumption

 

[pandro]

I guarantee you’ll get your wish in regards to the former. The latter depends on how he does when he returns from injury. He hits 60 and I think the Hart is his.

You're probably right. It's just that McDavid is the most popular player in the league, while Matthews is the face of the most popular franchise in the league, and I don't want those in-your-face guys winning.
I wish it was between Huberdeau, Gaudreau, Josi and Shesterkin. I also can see Kaprizov as a sort of a dark horse.

 

[daver]

I think goal differential is a pretty valuable thing in a game where the objective is to outscore your opponent. I believe they have a negative 5v5 differential without him... And Tkachuk and Lindholm have been similarly mediocre without him, dating all the way back to last year.

How much of this can be attributed to great team defense and goaltending? There are two other Flames among the Top 15 forwards in Shot Attempts differential.

 

[daver]

And Tkachuk and Lindholm have been similarly mediocre without him, dating all the way back to last year.

You keep mentioning this as if it has some significance and somehow overrules Tkachuk's performances from the years before last where he was solid #1 W.

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Last year was the only time that Tkachuk and Lindholm played a lot of together at ES, and they were 20 goals for and 12 goals against vs. the Gaudreau, Tkachuk and Lindholm trio who were 12 goals for and 7 goals against.

How is this "mediocre" and where is the obvious difference in the trio vs. the duo?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

You keep mentioning this as if it has some significance and somehow overrules Tkachuk's performances from the years before last where he was solid #1 W.

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Last year was the only time that Tkachuk and Lindholm played a lot of together at ES, and they were 20 goals for and 12 goals against vs. the Gaudreau, Tkachuk and Lindholm trio who were 12 goals for and 7 goals against.

How is this "mediocre" and where is the obvious difference in the trio vs. the duo?

Compared to what they are doing this year? I'd definitely call that mediocre.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Josi.

 

[daver]

Compared to what they are doing this year? I'd definitely call that mediocre.

So to summarize your position:

Tkachuk (+6 last year) and Lindholm (+10 last year), as a duo, were "mediocre" last year even though they were a + 8. The reason that these two have seen such an increase in their effectiveness this year is obviously all due to being matched with Gaudreau (+2 last year).

Wow, you seriously throwing anything against the wall at this point. Just accept that he is having a great season, that noone objectively could argue is anything but really close to the others regardless of the biased narratives that get thrown around.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

So to summarize your position:

Tkachuk (+6 last year) and Lindholm (+10 last year), as a duo, were "mediocre" last year even though they were a + 8. The reason that these two have seen such an increase in their effectiveness this year is obviously all due to being matched with Gaudreau (+2 last year).

Wow, you seriously throwing anything against the wall at this point. Just accept that he is having a great season, that noone objectively could argue is anything but really close to the others regardless of the biased narratives that get thrown around.

I wonder why Gaudreau was only a +2 last year. If only you were someone who paid any attention at all to what was happening.

 

[steierwrass]

I wonder why Gaudreau was only a +2 last year. If only you were someone who paid any attention at all to what was happening.

Because he didn't get benefit from playing with Tkachuk and Lindholm. This is easy one. Next?

 

[daver]

I wonder why Gaudreau was only a +2 last year. If only you were someone who paid any attention at all to what was happening.

Given you are the one who keeps throwing out numbers to try to wow everyone then in the face of contrasting statistical data, keeps changing the narrative, I will leave it to you to provide the reason.

And while you are at that, maybe you can provide the reason that before this season AND last season, Gaudreau was 10th among Flames forwards in plus/minus from 16/17 to 19/20.

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Not sure how anyone can objectively can look at those numbers and say:

(1) Tkachuk isn't a solid to very good Top 6 forward

(2) Lindholm isn't a decent #2C

(3) That Gaudreau is the straw who is stirring both the offensive and defensive drinks on that line this year.

 

[wetcoast]

NHL.com

I would think putting together the best ES season in nearly 30 years is more impressive than a lot of what you noted on that list.

Just look at the Flames goal differential with and without Gaudreau on the ice. They just clinched their division, but without Gaudreau they probably miss the playoffs.

The thing is that it just isn't Johnny, it's his linemates and also the dmen from the back end and it's a perfect sotrom of all of these players ahving career years.

AM not playing is helping the case for Johnny but that McDavid guy is still around and as outsider noted his linemates aren't propping him up by any means.

Can a goalie win by playing 55 games? Maybe but it will be hard for Igor with so many other players having great seasons.

 

[TheStatican]

This is shaping up to be the closest year in voting and merit since 1989-90 when Messier won the voting by less than a % point over a defensmen, Bourque.

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I know there's been a couple even closer years by voting since then but look at how close those point share totals were in 1990! Could have made a case for any of the top 5 or 6 players.

There's also similarities in that you had a defenseman, a goalie and a half a dozen forwards who all had fantastic seasons.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Warning: I’m going to be handing out red cards soon!

 

[Apari]

Josi did what no dman has done in almost 30 years, score 90 points. I believe he's only the 9th dman ever to get atleast 90 points in a season. He leads Nashvilles scoring race by 11 points and is really the main reason Nashville still can get into playoffs. He doesn't just score in the powerplay as he has 54 even strength points. Truly a Hart worthy season and still my pick.

 

[wetcoast]

Josi did what no dman has done in almost 30 years, score 90 points. I believe he's only the 9th dman ever to get atleast 90 points in a season. He leads Nashvilles scoring race by 11 points and is really the main reason Nashville still can get into playoffs. He doesn't just score in the powerplay as he has 54 even strength points. Truly a Hart worthy season and still my pick.

Pretty hard to win the hart when as a Dman he probably won't win the Norris.

 

[Dessloch]

Pretty hard to win the hart when as a Dman he probably won't win the Norris.

If Chris Pronger could steal a Norris from prime Jaromir Jagr, then Josi can steal a Hart Trophy from Huberdeau

 

[wetcoast]

If Chris Pronger could steal a Norris from prime Jaromir Jagr, then Josi can steal a Hart Trophy from Huberdeau

First of all Jagr missed 19 games that season and Pronger led the NHL in plus/minus that season and Pronger wasn't even the highest scoring Dman but sure....er not really.

 

[centipede2233]

If matthews wins the rocket I still think he will win. Writers who vote on this trophy LOvE rocket winners and they love centers, matthews is both. I don’t care who wins, just on what I think will happen.