Who’s getting the Hart Trophy?
It’s almost the end of the NHL regular season. That means that votes for the Hart Trophy (MVP) will be casted soon. This has been one of the most competitive Hart Trophy races in years. The plethora of talent that has emerged this season has been exciting to watch.
This begs the question: who will have the Hart Trophy on their mantle by the end of the season?
Nikita Kucherov Tampa Bay Lightning:
Kucherov has been an absolute revelation for the Lightning this season. His play has been dominant and his presence on the ice is always felt.
In 72 games this season Kucherov has netted 37 goals 58 assists for a league leading total of 95 points. At the ripe age of 24 years old, this is only the beginning for Kucherov. To be clear this is not a fluke season for him. He scored 40 goals the year before and 30 the year before that.
Kucherov’s dynamic speed paired with a killer shot makes him so much fun to watch. His filthy stick handling skills also makes him a threat in the shootout. His confidence and creative passing is part of what makes him so dangerous.
While Kucherov has had an exceptional campaign playing with Steven Stamkos does make it easier to get assists. However this a minor caveat to a phenomenal regular season.
Connor McDavid Edmonton Oilers:
Nobody in the league wants Connor McDavid to win back to back Hart Trophies. However, he has played so well this year it is a decent possibility.
McDavid has 36 goals 58 assists and 94 points (second in the league). The plays he makes on a nightly basis are awe inspiring.
The Edmonton Oilers as a team have struggled this season. The fact that Connor has been able to still put up amazing numbers is noteworthy to say the least. However the league MVP should be able to find a way to win. The lack of success of the Oilers could help or hurt his case for the Hart Trophy.
Nathan MacKinnon Colorado Avalanche
The 2013 first overall draft pick is having the best year of his young career. Coming out of the draft everybody expected McKinnon to be a dangerous scoring threat. While he had a decent first four years, McKinnon was considered a little bit of a let down.
Last season McKinnon scored 16 goals — lackluster to say the least. This season in just 66 games McKinnon has 38 goals 54 assists for a grand total of 92 points. Basically as you already know, it is a break out year for the Halifax native.
Unlike McDavid, McKinnon has helped the Avalanche move up in the standings. He’s tied with Sean Monahan with a league leading 11 game winning goals on the year. Currently the avalanche are in the first wild card spot. This is extremely impressive considering the Avs were the worst team in the league by far last year. They only won 22 games and McKinnon having an off year probably didn’t help. McKinnon’s ability to elevate the players around him makes him a strong candidate for the Hart Trophy.
Evgeni Malkin Pittsburgh Penguins:
Unlike the other three candidates Evgeni Malkin has been a mainstay in the NHL for 10 years. His career has always been eclipsed by Sidney Crosby but this year has been one of Geno’s most impressive.
Currently he has 41 goals 50 assists and 91 points. Since there is so much talent in Pittsburgh people sometimes forget how good of a player Malkin is. He is a big body with sleek hands. Not to mention his experience and hockey IQ is second to none.
His net front presence is exceptional, paired with a quick release that can fool even the best NHL goaltenders.
Evgeni Malkin is always a guy that defenses have to game plan against. His dynamic adjustments and pure goal scoring ability make him a decent Hart Trophy candidate.
VERDICT: I believe that Nathan McKinnon should be the Hart Trophy winner this year. He was an underdog coming into the season and has played just as well if not better than any of the players on this list. I am not trying to take anything away from the guys listed above. All of them have had incredible seasons so far. McKinnon’s clutch goal scoring and just dazzling speed and skill makes him the MVP in my book.
Honorable Mentions: Alex Ovechkin and Patrik Laine
