While players and fans alike have their attention on the playoffs, and the push for the postseason, another interesting race is going among some of the best individuals in the NHL.
Multiple names have come to the surface in the argument to determine who is the league’s most valuable player this season. Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers is having another incredible season. Nathan MacKinnon has 50 goals for the first time in his career and has carried the load with the Colorado Avalanche still without captain Gabriel Landeskog. The Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews is having the best goal-scoring season in three decades. Nikita Kucherov is quietly having the best season for a single player in Tampa Bay Lightning history.
Oh yeah, Sidney Crosby is single-handedly keeping the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoff conversation.
These players have shown they have what it takes to be a Hart Trophy winner, but the real question is, how close is the race?
On Wednesday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk point out what they think of the multi-horse race for MVP.
Frank Seravalli: It is so close. [MacKinnon’s] a force of nature, it’s pure power on display. I don’t know if it’s because he plays in Tampa, I don’t know it’s because he’s won a Hart Trophy before…but stylistically, people want to seem to hand this award to MacKinnon over Kucherov because of what? I’m not entirely certain.
I went into this week thinking that Kucherov was my guy…but obviously it’s still up for grabs. McDavid looks like he’s going to be missing some time, but McDavid’s closing in on becoming the fourth player in NHL history to have 100 assists in a season.
There’s a lot to unpack. I just don’t think it’s nearly as clear-cut just because Nathan MacKinnon is a bowl in a china shop.
You can watch the full segment, and the entire episode here…
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