After opening Awards Night with the Ted Lindsay Award as the MVP as voted by the players, Avalanche winger Nathan MacKinnon capped off the festivities with another victory. The league announced that MacKinnon has won the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team,” as selected by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
It’s a fitting award for someone who blew past his career highs offensively, notching 51 goals and 89 assists, recording only the fifth 140-point campaign across the NHL over the last 30 years. MacKinnon became the sixth player in franchise history (including its time in Quebec) to reach the 50-goal mark while he comes in second in club history in assists, checking in three behind Peter Stastny back in the 1981-82 campaign. MacKinnon recorded at least one point in 69 of 82 games played during the regular season.
MacKinnon took home 137 of 194 first-place votes and appeared on all but one ballot. That helped get him a margin of victory of more than 500 voting points over Tampa Bay winger Nikita Kucherov, who had more assists and points than MacKinnon did this season. After Auston Matthews beat out Connor McDavid to be the third finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award, they were reversed for the Hart with McDavid coming in third and Matthews in fourth. A total of 14 players received at least one top-five vote.
It’s the fourth time MacKinnon has been a finalist for the award but his first time as the winner. He joins Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic as the only players in franchise history to win league MVP.
The writer’s association decided on this trophy back in December when reports were coming out the writers felt MacKinnon was “due”. Nothing against MacKinnon but the writers are biased in more ways than one but it is what it is. I though Kucherov was more valuable to his team than MacKinnon.
Sure, writers bias…but the players voted him as well. Take the TB blinders off and give credit where credit is due.
I wasn’t taking anything away from MacKinnon lol but I just don’t agree with it & the reality is many probably don’t. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks though since MacKinnon still won. Chill out.
“Reality” and “probably” used together to prove your side is funny.
Okay, whatever that means. I guess you need to find anything to nitpick to attack me. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. What’s pathetically funny is how everyone is bothered by my opinion. I guess everyone is supposed to have the same opinion & not have any difference of opinion. I guess everyone is supposed to be a sheep. What is this?…Some sort of communistic mentality on these boards.
Quit your whining already LightningFanboy.
I’m not whining. You’re whining about me. I’m just defending myself.
Sure, spout fanboy nonsense in multiple threads and then play the victim.
It’s called an opinion, genius. Many analysts have all said Kucherov had just as good an argument for the Hart & Lindsay Trophies as MacKinnon. That’s just a fact. Just because you don’t agree doesn’t mean it nonsense. Let alone, you misconstrued some of my comments earlier (not surprised) but that’s typical internet tactics from a keyboard warrior like yourself.
I hate to say it but if McDavid was not hurt for about 20 games when the Oilers had that crappy start to the season. Kuch would not have won the scoring title because Connor would of had another 150+ season..but in fairness MacKinnon is probably no not probably he is the best 2 way superstar in the league. Many will argue but He is..
That’s highly debatable & speculative at best. McDavid didn’t get hot until the 2nd half of the season after the all-star break. Him being hurt or not during the first half, I don’t think would have mattered as the team wasn’t good at all overall. Sorry (not sorry) I don’t buy that. It would be one thing if the Oilers were doing well in the first half of the season then maybe you have a little better of an argument but it’s still debatable.
It seems you’re just throwing shade at Kucherov’s record setting season.
Great points Bucky, besides his GWGs, his +/-, blocked shots and hits separated him from Kucherov. And as for injuries, the Vas injuries plus Landeskog’s absence also cost him some points.