The NHL season is just over twenty games old, and yet you can already make a strong case for certain players to win this year’s Hart Trophy for the NHL’s Most Valuable Player. Some, such as Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid who was crowned League MVP in 2017, are no strangers to this conversation. Other contenders, such as Jonathan Huberdeau, find themselves in uncharted waters. Below is a look at my early contenders for this year’s Hart Trophy, awarded to the player who makes the greatest contribution to his team.
The Top Three
Connor McDavid
When you think of the NHL’s best today, Connor McDavid is probably one of the first players that come to mind, and for good reason. Since entering the league during the 2015-2016 season, he has taken the competition by storm, leading the league in points in two of his first five seasons and all signs point to him achieving that feat once again this year. Through 23 games, the former first overall pick has recorded 40 points, or 1.74 points per game, cementing him at the top of the NHL’s leaderboard for points. Impressively, the 24-year-old has shown off his elite goal-scoring abilities at a level we have never seen before, allowing him to tally fourteen goals. Only fellow Hart Trophy hopeful Auston Matthews has lit the lamp more times so far this season.
While offensive statistics are extremely important in determining the Hart Trophy winner, one must also consider the player’s overall contribution to their team’s success. McDavid checks this box as well. The Oilers, in large part due to McDavid’s incredible production, sit second in the Scotiabank North Division and are leading the NHL in goals for with 79. Of these 79 goals, McDavid has recorded a point of 50% of them.
While there is no denying McDavid’s greatness, I believe the fact that he plays with another Hart frontrunner does hinder his chances. That being said, he is certainly leading the race to win the MVP.
Auston Matthews
For the past decade, the Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin has largely been considered the NHL’s best goal scorer every year. Auston Matthews is saying otherwise this season. The Toronto Maple Leafs’ number one centre has tallied 18 goals in just 20 games, including five multi-goal performances. He has also added 13 assists placing him fourth in league scoring. If Matthews can somehow maintain this ridiculous goal scoring pace and remains healthy, the American might just score 50 this season. Matthews’ strong play has also been a driving force behind the Maple Leafs who are currently atop the NHLs standings.
Despite Matthews having an incredible season, there are two big question marks, in my eyes, that stand in the way of him winning his first Hart Trophy. Firstly, assuming McDavid runs away with the Art Ross Trophy, how many goals does Matthews need to score to compensate for this? Secondly, similar to how McDavid’s chances are impacted by playing with Draisaitl, does Matthews playing on the same line as Mitch Marner have the same effect?
Patrick Kane
Since breaking into the NHL over a decade ago, Patrick “Showtime” Kane has shown why he was drafted first overall by Chicago back in 2007, and maybe this season more than ever. Through 22 games, the American superstar has tallied 10 goals and 31 points, good enough for fifth in NHL scoring.
While Patrick Kane has always been known to produce offensively and help the Hawks win, his performance this season is much more impressive than in seasons past. Not only do the Hawks not have a veteran goalie in net, but for the first time in what feels like forever, Kane is playing without his longtime running mate Jonathan Toews who has yet to play this season. Chicago is also without Kirby Dach and their other top-six centre, Pius Suter, is an NHL rookie. This means that unlike some of the other players, Kane receives 100% of the opposition’s attention.
As I mentioned earlier, the Hart Trophy is given to the player who is most valuable to their team and frankly, I think Patrick Kane is arguably more valuable than McDavid and Matthews. The Hawks are currently sitting in a playoff spot in the Discover Central Division and have the third-best power play in the NHL. I can’t help but think that they would be in a much worse position without the 2015-16 Hart Trophy winner.
Other players in the hunt
While the big three mentioned above are leading the MVP race, other players like Mitch Marner deserve some love as well. The Leafs’ hometown hero is currently leading his club in scoring, is third in NHL in points only behind the pair of Oilers and is second in the league in Plus/Minus with a +18. He’s also assisted on a majority of Matthews’ 18 goals.
We also can’t forget about Leon Draisaitl, who after winning the Hart Trophy a season ago is looking to be the first player to win the trophy in consecutive campaigns since Ovechkin (2008 & 2009). So far this season, the German sits second in the NHL in assists and total points, trailing none other than his teammate in Edmonton, McDavid.
Florida’s Jonathan Huberdeau is also an early contender. The left-winger is currently leading the Panthers in points and is ninth in the league scoring. Without his great play, there is no chance his club has the fourth-best winning percentage in the NHL.
Out West, Anne Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings also deserves to be in contention for the Hart. The two-time NHL Selke winner currently sits 11th in NHL scoring and is leading his club in assists, points and is second on his team in time on ice. After a terrible 2019-2020 season for the Kings, Kopitar’s play has certainly been a reason they’ve found more success so far this year.
Ultimately, if we have learned anything from the past year it is that nothing is guaranteed. However, I am confident enough to say that someone I’ve mentioned will win the Hart Trophy.