Making the case for each 2017-18 Hart Trophy candidate
At the conclusion of some NHL seasons, there is a clear candidate for MVP that surpasses all other award hopefuls. In other years, like this one, the race is a bit more crowded. Even with teams eliminated from postseason play, there is a good collection of players still in the mix. And while there are clear favorites — one particular young forward in New Jersey, for example — you can still make a case for others. Here we take a look at six players who could potentially win the Hart Trophy.
Nikita Kucherov - Tampa Bay Lightning
The Russian forward was perhaps the first player in the 2017-18 to create MVP buzz. He ended the season ranked third overall in points, even reaching the 100 point mark. But racking up points doesn't mean much if the rest of the team is losing. In Kucherov's case, his offensive firepower helped ignite a robust Bolts forward attack. Casual fans may still think of Steven Stamkos as the face of the Bolts, but there is no denying that Kucherov was the driving force for Tampa Bay this season.
Anze Kopitar - LA Kings
The Kings had one rollercoaster of a season, and narrowly made it into the playoffs after missing the postseason completely last year. A big part of their resurgence into the playoff conversation came from captain Kopitar, who put together the best campaign of his career. After a dismal 2016-17 run where he only tallied 52 total points, the towering Slovenian strung together 57 assists alone — added to 35 goals for a whopping 92 points and a ticket to the playoffs.
Brad Marchand - Boston Bruins
Love him or hate him, Marchand elevated his game this season and helped Boston steamroll every opponent in their wake. (Something that we discussed a few weeks back.) He's easily the most debated player to garner potential MVP honors, in part because he still has a penchant for getting himself into trouble. Still, there's no denying that the Bruins veteran has a lot to do with the team's hot streak that led to them winning their division.
Claude Giroux - Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers captain was already creating Hart Trophy buzz for his stellar play at the helm of the Flyers attack this season. But it was his performance in the season finale that really solidified the argument for his candidacy. En route to registering 102 points overall for the season, Giroux netted his first career hat trick against the New York Rangers to help Philly clinch a playoff spot.
Nathan MacKinnon - Colorado Avalanche
Even before the Avs came storming up the Western Conference ladder trying to clinch a playoff spot, MacKinnon was playing out-of-his-mind hockey. If you're looking for a catalyst that catapulted Colorado from last year's last place team to a playoff team, look no further than the 22-year-old center who averaged more than a goal a game for the last nine tilts of the regular season.
Taylor Hall - New Jersey Devils
Hall is the heavy favorite to win the honors, and rightfully so. Like MacKinnon, Hall helped elevate a New Jersey Devils team — and a young, scrappy one at that — into the playoff picture with some of the toughest teams in the Eastern Conference. But during his 26 game points streak, the winger's visible rise into a leadership role makes his case for the Hart Trophy even stronger.
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