With the season winding down, the conversation for NHL awards has heated up. At the center of the conversation is the question of who will win the Hart Trophy for the league MVP.
Many considered Sidney Crosby the runaway candidate for the award back before his injury in late March. The Penguins superstar held a stranglehold on the scoring race with 56 (he was not passed until earlier this week) and was leading his team on a historic 15-game winning streak. Since Crosby's absence, the Penguins have continued their strong play sparking debates about whether the phenom deserved the award and was in fact the most valuable player.
A lot of pundits have conceded that Crosby is the league's best player but that the award is intended for the player most valuable to his team. Since Crosby's injury a number of candidates have appeared that have been widely touted as potential winners of the trophy.
Leading the way is Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin. The Great 8, as he is often called, had a tough start to the season and many questioned if he would ever return to his superstar status in the league. Ovechkin answered all those questions by almost single-handedly leading Washington to its sixth straight playoff berth. Along the way he has compiled 32 goals and 22 assists. He is fourth in scoring and leads the league with 32 goals; he looks primed to win his third ever Maurice Richard Trophy for top goal scorer.
Joining the competition is NY Islanders' star center John Tavares. The youngster has led his team to its first playoff berth since 2006-07. Many have questioned Tavares' defensive game (he is -1 in the +/- category) and the fact that he has struggled to be in the top 10 in scoring over the last few weeks. However, Tavares is third in the league with 28 goals scored and was the catalyst for the Islanders during the first half of the season. Despite more players chipping in offensively in more recent games, Tavares has continued to put up solid offensive numbers. He has scored 14 points in the Islanders' impressive 11-2-3 run, including 10 goals. More importantly Tavares' five game-winning goals ties him for fifth in the NHL. His nine power play goals are tied for third best in the league. The fact that the Islanders are back in the playoffs should garner Tavares a great deal of attention.
Other prominent candidates for the trophy include Chicago Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews and Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Toews is the best two-way player in the NHL and led his team to the top record in the NHL. Meanwhile Bobrovsky has single-handedly led a last-place team into a playoff run. His 2.03 GAA is sixth in the league and his .931 save percentage is the second best in the NHL. Throw in Bobrovsky's four shutouts and it is not hard to see why Columbus has had tremendous success. Many consider Bobrovsky a long shot for the Hart due to the fact that there is a trophy designed specifically to award the top goalies in the league.
Predictions: Alex Ovechkin wins the award. Sidney Crosby and John Tavares round out the voting.
Who should win the Hart Trophy?
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