Who are the main contenders for the Hart Trophy at the midway point of the 2020-21 NHL Season?
Given that we are past the midpoint of the 2020-21 NHL season, players are starting to pull apart from their peers when it comes to potentially winning some individual hardware. Last week, I took a look at the three goalies who are in the running for the Vezina Trophy. Today, I will take a look at who I believe the frontrunners are to finish as finalists for the Hart Trophy.
Aside from the Conn Smythe Trophy, the Hart is the most prestigious individual award in the NHL. Many players who have won the trophy have ended up becoming Hall of Fame players by the time their careers are said and done. While this season is far from over, I believe there are three players who as of now have separated themselves from the rest of the league in terms of winning the award.
Three Main Contenders for the 2020-21 NHL Hart Trophy
3. Auston Matthews – Toronto Maple Leafs
If you had asked a month ago, Auston Matthews may have led this list. However, the 23-year-old has begun to slow down after a scorching hot start to the season, which in turn almost caused me to leave him off this list entirely.
Still, despite this recent cool stretch, Matthews leads all players in goals with 24 in 33 games. That total is outstanding already, but even more impressive when you consider the fact he was forced to miss three games due to a nagging wrist injury.
While he doesn’t appear to be the main front runner for the Hart anymore, another hot streak like the one he had to begin the season could catapult him back there. At the very least, Matthews appears very likely to be able to capture the first Rocket Richard Trophy of his career.
2. Patrick Kane – Chicago Blackhawks
What a season it has been for Patrick Kane. After it was announced that Captain Jonathan Toews would be out of the lineup for an indefinite amount of time prior to the season beginning, many pegged the Chicago Blackhawks to finish right near the bottom of the league standings, as it seemed Kane would be all on his own.
While that has somewhat been the case, the 32-year-old Kane is proving that he is so elite that it does not matter if he is on his own. Through 37 games, he has a ridiculous 49 points (13 G, 36 A), which is good enough for third in league scoring. Even more impressive is that he has kept the Blackhawks alive in the Playoff race, as they sit tied with the Nashville Predators at 39 points for the fourth and final spot in the Central Division.
Though they have begun to regress in recent weeks, if Kane is able to get the Hawks into the postseason, he could very well capture his second career Hart Trophy.
1. Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid being number one on this list will surprise no one, given that his 63 points (21 G, 42 A) leads the entire league by a very wide margin. The 24-year-old continues to get better year after year, and has a legitimate shot to hit 100-points in this 56-game season. He is without a doubt the best player on the planet right now, and won’t be going away any time soon.
The one reason some may not vote for McDavid is due to the fact that he has another superstar on his team in Leon Draisaitl, who is second in league scoring with 54 points (19 G, 35 A). There is an argument to be made that without Patrick Kane, the Chicago Blackhawks would be the worst team in the entire league this season.
However, this offensive pace Connor McDavid is on right now is something that has not been seen in the NHL for a long time, and is one of the best seasons of all time. It would be a crime not to reward him with the Hart given how he has played to this point.
Plenty of Time Remaining
Of course, for most teams there are still over 20 games to be played this season, so things could change. While it seems extremely unlikely Connor McDavid won’t be a finalist by seasons end, perhaps a new candidate could emerge and get in the way of him winning what would be his second Hart Trophy. Regardless of the outcome, it should be a fantastic finish to what has been an incredible 2020-21 season so far.
Honorable mentions: Leon Draisaitl (EDM), Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL), Jonathan Huberdeau (FLA)