HART DISCOURSE

BY MIKE RIFKIN

The NHL season is coming down the stretch, and with every team having around 20 games left in the season teams are fighting for playoff spots. But the other thing that is very much in a big discussion is who is the front-runner for the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP. So here’s a look at some of the players right now who are in the running for the award. 

Nikita Kucherov – Lightning: Kucherov had himself a day Sunday afternoon as his Lightning beat the Devils 4-1. Kucherov had a goal and three assists making him the first player this season to hit 100 points. Kucherov is currently third in the league in goals (38) and second in assists (64). Kucherov has won the Hart previously in 2019. 

Artemi Panarin – Rangers: The Breadman has delivered on Broadway, his 33rd goal on Sunday night set a career-high. Panarin is currently tied for fifth in the NHL with 79 points.

Nathan Mackinnon – Avalanche: The Avs star is currently second in points only behind Kucherov. The Avs have had players go in and out of the lineup all season long, but their one constant has been Mackinnon. 

Auston Matthews – Maple Leafs: To score 50 goals in 54 games is insane. The Leafs star is at 52 goals and is on pace for over 70. Right now Matthews is eighth in the league in scoring. Matthews has a chance to repeat as the Hart winner.

Connor McDavid – Oilers: How could you make this list and not include the best player in the world? All it took was a coaching change to get the Oilers going and they’ve been on fire for what feels like more than two months. McDavid is third in the league in scoring and leads the league in assists. 

JT Miller/Elias Pettersson – Canucks: The Canucks are one of the best stories in the league this season. Normally I would take one of the two and talk about why they’re a specific candidate, but both players are in the top 10 of the league in scoring and both have the same amount of goals. So take your pick on who is more valuable to Vancouver’s success.

David Pastrnak – Bruins: Entering the season most people were concerned with how the Bruins would handle the departures of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Well it hasn’t hurt David Pastrnak’s production, the star winger is fourth in the league with 82 points and is on his way to another 40-goal campaign. 

Sidney Crosby – Penguins : Crosby had four points in the Penguins 7-6 win over the Flyers on Sunday. The Penguins are right now on the outside looking in of the playoffs, but if they get in it would be on the back of their captain. Crosby is top 10 in goals with 32.

Connor Hellebuyck – Jets: I don’t love putting goalies in the MVP discourse. Hellebuyck is having a Helle of a year (see what I did there). He is tied for third in wins, first with a 2.21 GAA and second with a .925 save percentage. If Winnipeg wins a very competitive Central Division Hellebuyck will receive a Helle lot of love. 

As we come down the stretch we will see how this plays out.