NHL.com Trophy Tracker - Hart Trophy

[ThatGuy22]

Kaprizovs gotta be in the top 5. He turned a good 34 year old winger, who had a high of 61 pounds into a ppg machine, and a 28 year old 3rd/4th line wing into a C that's going to get 30 goals.

There can't be many other players that can do that.

 

[treple13]

Gaudreau's 5v5 primary points (removing secondary assists) is ridiculous. He's got 53 and nobody else has more than 43. Matthew Tkachuk is basically going to double his totals from last year after moving to play full time with Gaudreau. I think at this point he's the pick. Is he the best player in hockey? Probably not. Is he the most valuable this year? Probably.

 

[Chips]

Even if just going by scoring and not dominant goaltending or play in all three zones, it pretty much has to be McDavid now that the Oilers are back in playoff contention. If it’s going to be the Hart Ross, it should go to him over Huberdeau


There’s also better arguments for Gaudreau than Huberdeau: excellent 5v5 play, great point totals at even strength; plus that game last night against the Oilers, dude looked unstoppable on some plays; multiple times I yelled “Oh my god why, so du— “*makes a late play after you think he’s taken himself out of it waiting too long*
He’s got a more distinct argument for carrying his team to as I’d put him well above his linemates and pretty much anyone else on that team; McDavid and Drai should be cannibalizing votes from each other but eh

Kaprizov too, plus historically what he is to the franchise; again, by far their best player

I like Josi. A Dman leading his team in points by a good margin *while not completely giving up defense*? Crazy good season by the old man.

Idc if Shesty had a few bad games recently. All of these candidates have had awful games. He still has been absurdly good this season and his team could be a good deal lower in the standings with how they’ve played at times 5v5

Huberdeau is the weakest of all 5 of those other players. He’s on an all around dominant team that would still be rock solid offensively without him, and basically would lose nothing defensively.

 

[24 others]

I think an obvious metric for 'most valuable' is whoever is at the top of the goal share for his team. Like highest point contribution % to overall team offence.

Every year it's McDavid followed by Draisaitl is it not? How are they not the most valuable forwards for sure, when removing them hinders your group offensively more than any other players?

Defence and goalie are their own thing, but in terms of forwards it should be clearly obvious. Here are some numbers for player share of team offence:

Aho - 11.8%
Gaudreau - 11.5%
Mackinnon - 11.8%
Marchard - 15.5%
Huberdeau - 12.3%
Barkov - 11.7%
Josi - 8.5%
Crosby - 12%
Matthews - 12.7%

McDavid - 21.3%

One of these is not like the other.

Do you have the same for Draisaitl?

 

[Shawn Heins 44]

Josi has 81pts right now, the rest of the Nashville D has combined 84pts
Josi has 18 goals, the rest of the Nashville D has combined 9 goals

Josi is leading his team by 14pts, as a defenceman

And to quote @Matsun from the other thread: Josi needs 23 points in 16 games to pass Al Macinnis for most points in a season for a d-man not named Coffey and Orr.
Without him Nashville definately would no be in the playoff race.

I mean what else does a D-man need to do in order to get the MVP award?

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

I personally want Shesterkin to get it. A goalie getting a Hart is my wish.

 

[Three On Zero]

Not sure how you can even have McDavid in the top 3 this year, Shesterkin, Josi, Gaudreau, JT Miller and Matthews. All those 5 deserve to be in contention for it above him

 

[PensandCaps]

Not sure how you can even have McDavid in the top 3 this year, Shesterkin, Josi, Gaudreau, JT Miller and Matthews. All those 5 deserve to be in contention for it above him

lol. yah the guy leading the league in points doesn't deserve a hart nomination.

JT Miller?! lmaoooooo

 

[steierwrass]

Not sure how you can even have McDavid in the top 3 this year, Shesterkin, Josi, Gaudreau, JT Miller and Matthews. All those 5 deserve to be in contention for it above him

This sounds like opinion, where McDavid isn't worthy, if he doesn't win Art Ross by 20 point margin. He is still (arguably) the best player in the league this season and his team is going towards playoffs with his lead. If we go to "valuable for his team" -point, he has Draisaitl, but that's much less than many others in that list.

 

[doorbag]

Why does McDavid need to win the scoring race by a massive 10-15pt margin to be considered for the Hart according to some people? If Gaudreau or Matthews won the Art Ross by a single point it would almost be a sure thing that they receive the Hart. He’s the best player in the league (MVP) and easily the most valuable player to his respective team (MVP). It’s like people will do anything to justify giving it to somebody else because McDavid has already won it twice.

McDavid
Shesterkin
Josi

 

[george14]

What part of sentences starting with “I think…” implies I did anything other than express an opinion? No need to re-frame it as anything other than that, just to undermine it without addressing the points made.

Shesterkin had a couple of bad starts, sure. In fact he had three starts of .879 or less…

… in his past 18 games. He actually had five starts of .970 or more during the same timeframe. If three off-games is enough to tank an otherwise Hart-worthy season, what do we do with the 11 games where Huberdeau didn’t register a point? Common sense says we look at those games in context and realize they don’t mean much on an 82-game schedule.

If Shesterkin tanks the final month of the season, sure, write him off. But that doesn’t mean that Huberdeau had the better argument when the argument was made.

As of now, Huberdeau:

- doesn’t have an argument based on points — he’s 4th, behind McDavid/Draisaitl/Gaudreau

- doesn’t have an argument based on “carries his team” — he’s plainly behind guys like Shesterkin/Gaudreau/Josi and arguably not really distinguishable from Kyle Connor for that matter.

- doesn’t have an argument based on “straight-up best player” — not even in that conversation

Yes, he’s the top scorer on a good team. That’s the argument. Good for him, he’s having a fantastic season, a career season, possibly setting up for a Cup run. That’s not a Hart argument of any substance, not even compared to a weak winners like Taylor Hall (who was at least demonstrably the best player on his team by a large margin).

You and I just simply disagree here, and that's ok. I view it as the Hart, not the Art Ross. I don't think there is any bad argument to be made for the guys we both listed. I agree Barkov is probably more impactful than Hubs, but I would vote Hubs as a finalist. I also think Hall was one of the "true" MVP's of recent memory and I was happy he won.

Being the top scorer on a good team is typically a strong argument, especially when you have the lead he has. He was just #1 last week on NHL.com's trophy tracker. I understand they are not the be-all-end-all, but it shows others agree he is a finalist at least.

I simply don't agree with people saying "he has no argument" when he obviously does because people are talking.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I agree Barkov is probably more impactful than Hubs, but I would vote Hubs as a finalist.

I just don’t see how that adds up from any angle. If Barkov’s more impactful, then he’s more deserving of the vote as a) the straight-up better player, and b) the more valuable player in context.

Unless you’re saying you’d vote for both of them?

 

[Dust]

Pretty wide open race this year, much more so than in previous years.

In no particular order:

• McDavid - Leading in points pretty much all year, if he runs away with the points lead in the last month it'll be hard not to pick him
• Draisaitl - 2nd in points, 2nd in goals, self explanatory
• Matthews - Leading goal scorer, huge uptick on his overall points.
• Gaudreau - Best all around forward this year, insane production 5v5 and crazy +/-.
• Josi - in the top 10 as point as a D-men. I put a little bit less stock in this much like the Vezina as D-men have their own award.

 

[Kranix]

No way in hell Huberdeau is having a more impactful season than McDavid. But the Hart is a weird award anyway

 

[kevsh]

This will be a very tough race as I can see all of McDavid, Draisaitl, Matthews, Huberdeau, Gaudreau and Shesterkin getting first-place votes.

Honestly, can't really argue much with any of those guys winning it (though I'd have Huberdeau behind the others). I am still old-school in that goalies (and d-men) shouldn't be in the MVP race as there is another award for them. But even on that point I wouldn't complain much if Shesterkin won it. He's easily a huge part of the Rangers success this season.

 

[Beerfish]

I'm an oiler fan who hates Calgary but Gaudreau would need very serious consideration. He is doing it all for a team not expected to be doing as well as they have. His whopping plus 49 is amazing. As much as it pains me to say this as of right now he would get my vote.

 

[triggrman]

No defenseman is going to win the Rocket, or the Ross tor the most part. So if forwards can have 3 awards. Why should defensemen or goalies not be able to win the Hart?

 

[Regal]

I just don’t see how that adds up from any angle. If Barkov’s more impactful, then he’s more deserving of the vote as a) the straight-up better player, and b) the more valuable player in context.

Unless you’re saying you’d vote for both of them?

I wouldn’t put Huberdeau up there, but I’m assuming it’s based on Huberdeau being more valuable due to Barkov missing too many games.

 

[Lemonlimey]

I personally want Shesterkin to get it. A goalie getting a Hart is my wish.

Has to happen now and again. I mean, by the definition, a goaler is usually mvp of their team.

 

[Three On Zero]

lol. yah the guy leading the league in points doesn't deserve a hart nomination.

JT Miller?! lmaoooooo

When you consider most important to team, JT Miller has exceeded where Edmonton still has Draisaitl

 

[Darren McCord]

I want Josi to win it. He is leading his team and plays more as a Dmen and in all situations.

He is having an absolutely insane season. The Preds are not in the playoffs without him. I hope he hits a 100pts

 

[Duffalufagus]

Gaudreau has been on the ice for 29 ES goals against. THIS ENTIRE SEASON.

Nobody else in this race is even close.

 

[george14]

I just don’t see how that adds up from any angle. If Barkov’s more impactful, then he’s more deserving of the vote as a) the straight-up better player, and b) the more valuable player in context.

Unless you’re saying you’d vote for both of them?

Barkov has missed time. And being more impactful doesn’t always equate with Hart voting. I’ve always thought Bergeron was one of the best players every year, but point totals matter more in Hart voting.

 

[Dust]

Gaudreau has been on the ice for 29 ES goals against. THIS ENTIRE SEASON.

Nobody else in this race is even close.

nhl.com shows it being 41. But he's been on for 92 ES GF so his net is a ridiculous +51.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Has to happen now and again. I mean, by the definition, a goaler is usually mvp of their team.

Yes, goaltenders take the most responsibility for each and every game, for sure.