7 Hart Trophy Candidates To Keep Your Eyes On As The Season Comes To An End
The regular season is starting to wind down now as we reach the later half of March. The playoff race is on, and the battle is intense for the last few spots in both the East and the West.
With the end of the season comes talk about individual trophies, the Hart being one of the most acclaimed regular season prizes in the NHL. There are a lot of skaters that deserve to be mentioned in the race for the Hart Trophy, but in the end only three will get their name on the ballot, and only one will take home the prestigious award.
Winning the Hart is beyond having a career season, it’s staying healthy, being a team player, and making your team better. A full 82 game season in the NHL can be a grueling stretch that can break down even the most capable athletes.
Staying healthy and playing consistent hockey is a challenge that only the greatest players can achieve, and the Hart Trophy opitimizes triumph, perseverance, and the heart of the player it is awarded to.
Earlier this season, I did a Mid-Season Awards post, you can find it here. Check out where the players are at now, and if they’re still your favorite to win their selected trophy this season.
Alex Ovechkin won the Hart Trophy last season after going on fire in the second half of the season. He finished the year with more goals than any other player in the NHL,and despite an inconsistent first half, he deserved the Hart for his outstanding play in the second half that pulled the Capitals into the playoff race.
This season, Ovechkin is once again lighting the lamp more than any other player in the NHL and his name is popping up everywhere as a favorite to win the Hart this season. Ovi has skated in 67 games so far this season, and has managed to put the puck in the back of the net 46 times. He’s added 23 assists as well throughout the season giving him a grand total of 69 points.
The problem with Ovechkin (and the Capitals for that matter), is the 5-on-5 play. Ovechkin has a +/- of -31 this season, a dreadful stat to think about while voting for the best player in the league. We all know Ovechkin’s game isn’t an all around game that plays in both zones, but only really shines on the offensive side of the blue line. Can a Hart Trophy winner really finish the season with a +/- that bad?
Sidney Crosby is an obvious name every season when it comes to the MVP award. Last season, Crosby was a finalist for the award, but came up short in votes to Ovechkin. This season, Crosby has stayed healthy for the first time in a long time for the Penguins, and he’s putting up points all over the place.
Crosby, unlike Ovechkin, plays a full game, defensive and offensive, making him a much more valuable player for the Penguins. Crosby has skated in 69 games this season and has put the puck in the net 33 times, while assisting on 58 of his teammates goals. 91 points so far on the season, with 14 games remaining in the Penguins season, Crosby has the chance to put up 100 points this season for the first time since 2009-2010.
Crosby has flexed his muscles all season long on the ice, and is my favorite for the Hart so far this season. The Penguins have the Metropolitan Division pretty much wrapped up in a pretty pink bow at the moment, and Crosby’s health and play this season has been a big reason for it. Good chance Sid The Kid has a new mantle piece after this season.
Phil Kessel may have started his season off on a bad note, but he’s shown up night in and night out for the Maple Leafs and has played great. He’s earned the massive contract the Leafs awarded him earlier this season, and now has his eyes on a possible Hart Trophy.
Kessel has played in 71 games this season and has 35 goals and 39 assists on the season. Kessel ranks second in the NHL behind only Ovechkin in shots on goal. Kessel’s a skilled scorer, and he knows how to use his speed to get himself into good positions to get the puck on net. Kessel has had a great season so far in Toronto, and as the season begins to wind down for the Leafs, the playoffs are looking good for the team, and Kessel is a big part of that.
Kessel’s season has been good, but he’s going to have to step up his defensive game for Toronto. The Leafs defense hasn’t been good this season, and his offense has been a big part of why they are where they are in the standings, but if Kessel could become more defensively responsible it could help the team a lot, and could even help his chances in the race for the Hart.
Claude Giroux had a depressing start to the season, and the Flyers felt the pains from an under preforming star. The Flyers finished the month of October with a record of 3-8-0.
Claude Giroux heated up, and now the Flyers are sitting in a playoff spot and Giroux has 72 points in 69 games. Grioux is also riding another hot streak at the moment, he has a 5 game point streak totally eight points. The Flyers have won their last four games while Giroux put up 7 points.
Giroux’s playing great, and deserves a mention. He’s got the team playing well, and they’re doing it during a tough final stretch. If Giroux can continue to play the way he has recently, he could find his name next to the other two of the league’s finalists. Giroux has helped the Flyers climb back into a playoff position, and if he can continue to play well down the stretch, the Flyers could find themselves in a favorable first round matchup.
Jonathan Toews job just got a lot tougher with Patrick Kane out for the remainder of the season for the Blackhawks. Think he’s up to the task? I would think so, Toews has been a model of consistency so far this season, and continues to play well as the Blackhawks look to climb back into the top spot in the Western Conference that’s so packed.
Toews has to step up with Kane out of the line up, but there are more pros than cons to being a two way forward, and Toews is as good as they come in that department. Toews has managed 66 points in 71 games this season, and has an impressive +29 +/-. Toews also continues to be one of the best men in the faceoff circle in the league.
Toews has the Blackhawks in a good position at the moment, and there’s time for the2nd place Blackhawks to climb back ahead of the St. Louis Blues to gain the top spot in the Central Division. Toews has been nothing short of spectacular this season, and if he can continue to play well down the final stretch for the Blackhawks, he could end up a consideration for the Hart Trophy.
Tyler Seguin has come into Dallas on a mission. The mission isn’t quite complete at the moment, and Dallas has lost their last four games, but luckily they’ve only fallen back of the last wildcard spot by four points. The Coyotes have the jump on the Stars, but if Seguin and company can figure out their issues sooner rather than later, there’s still a chance for them to squeeze in at the last second.
Despite the four game losing streak, Seguin has remained hot and has points in seven straight games. In the seven games, Seguin has scored 6 goals and has 8 assists for 14 points. Seguin has 72 points now on the season in the 67 games he’s skated in. He’s been a monster in Dallas proving he just needed out of the position he was in while in Boston.
The former second overall pick has really come to life this season and opened some eyes around the league. Seguin has continued to play well, he just needs some more help from his team in the final stretch if the Stars expect to make the playoffs for the first time in 5 seasons.
Ryan Getzlaf or Corey Perry? That is the question in Anaheim regarding their most valuable player, but Getzlaf gets my nod due to his ability to find the open man, who more times than not is Corey Perry. The Ducks have been a force in the Pacific Division this season, and it’s because of Getzlaf’s play.
Getzlaf has been able to stay healthy all season, and continues to frustrate defenders with his size and skills with the puck. Getzlaf has skated in 66 games this season and has netted 29 goals, and has added 47 assists for a total of 76 points on the year. Getzlaf also holds a +/- of +26 and has limited his trips to the sin bin owning only 24 PIMs on the season.
The Ducks are in a good spot in the Pacific, and a great spot in the overall league sitting in second in the Pacific Division only two points behind the first place San Jose Sharks. Anaheim has been great at home, but they’ve started to struggle lately and this isn’t the time of the season to let points slip away. Look for the big bodied captain to turn it up in the final games and get Anaheim rolling again before the playoffs begin.