Terry Sawchuk 1951-52 Hart

[iBlameGriff]

I'm confused as to how did Sawchuk finished fourth in Hart voting for the 1951-52 season. He definitely was better than Jim Henry, the goaltender who finished third, and also definitely better than Elmer Lach who finished second. I'm not sure how would historians debate Gordie Howe - Terry Sawchuk for that particular season in retrospective, but looking back at that particular season, I think it might just be the highest peak ever reached by a goaltender when including his playoffs performance (I don't know these don't count for the Hart)

 

[The Panther]

It would appear this is a "vote splitting" thing, as with many cases in history where two players were seen as key to the team's success (in this case, Howe and Sawchuk). Howe received 9 first-place votes and Sawchuk received only one, so it seems voters viewed Howe as more "valuable" to the Wings.

For reference, Howe's 47 goals that season was the second-most in NHL history (after Rocket's 1944-45), so it was a bit like when Brett Hull scored 86 in 1990-91. And Howe's 86 points tied his mark the preceding season as the most in any season in NHL history.

(Fun factoid: By the sunmer of 1952, Elmer Lach was the all-time scoring leader in NHL history.)

 

[Gerulaitis]

I still don't understand how they can debate goalies Vs skaters. Absolutely different categories. Vezina is the Hart for most outstanding netminder. The Hart can be just the non-goalie MVP trophy.
Debates like Sawchuk Vs Howe are difficult.

PS. IMHO, Sawchuk could have been the best North American goaltender of all time.

 

[overpass]

Sawchuk was a unanimous first team all star in goal, so everyone knew he was better than Jim Henry (who was the second team all star in a very split vote, receiving no first team votes and seven of 18 second team votes.)

It's not easy to get your due in Hart voting when a teammate has an all time great season. Howe also might well have received more than 9 of 18 first place Hart votes if Sawchuk wasn't so good.

 

[JackSlater]

Two things

Detroit probably had three of the four best players in the NHL in the early 1950s in Howe, Sawchuk, and Kelly. Inevitably it will hurt Hart voting to have three teammates who are top four players in the NHL.

Early 1950s Hart voting is not the place to look for an "outstanding player" award.

In 1950 Rayner got the Hart, Kennedy finished second in Hart voting, neither even made the first all star team. Richard was very likely the best player in the NHL.

In 1951 Schmidt gets the Hart in what some people consider a career achievement award. I think Schmidt's award is justified in the value sense of the Hart, and at least he was first team all star, but Howe dominated NHL scoring (~30% higher than number 2) and was clearly the best player. Howe finished fourth in Hart voting. Kelly likely gets the Norris had it existed.

In 1952 Howe again dominates league scoring and this time is given the Hart. Sawchuk is fourth in Hart voting but makes the first all star team over third place Hart finisher Henry. The Norris doesn't exist yet but Kelly, first all star, probably gets it that year. Hard spot for Sawchuk to garner Hart support in.

In 1953 Howe destroys the league in scoring to a historic degree again and gets the Hart. Second in Hart voting, narrowly, is Rollins, who doesn't make the first or second all star team. Sawchuk is first team all star. Kelly finishes a close third in Hart voting. McNeil, second team all star behind Sawchuk, finishes fourth in Hart voting with some significant support.

In 1954 Howe again comfortably leads the NHL in scoring but Rollins gets the Hart. Rollins was not a first or second team all star and there is belief that he in part got it due to how he performed for a terrible team the year before. Kelly is a close second in Hart voting and gets the inaugural Norris. Howe finishes fourth in Hart voting. Sawchuk was second all star that year, Howe or Kelly were likely the best player in the NHL.

In 1955 Kennedy gets the Hart despite not making the first or second all star team, many believe the award was a career achievement award. His teammate Lumley, first team all star again, finishes second and three Montreal players round out the top five. Sawchuk is second team all star on the down swing of his prime and Kelly has been supplanted by Harvey as the NHL's best defenceman.

Basically it was a weird period for the award voting, at least compared to how we usually view it. It's clear that voters were not just ranking the best players in Hart voting. This is always true to some degree, but it seems especially pronounced in the early 1950s.

 

[Crosby2010]

Howe led the NHL in points by 17. And even then it was Lindsay his own teammate in 2nd. That is a Hart worthy season in almost any year. Sawchuk had a great year but that's just hard to compete against.