Thoughts on the Hart

[SubtropicalPenguin]

Well, we are about 3/4 of the way through the season now, and I wanted to get people's thoughts on the Hart this year. A few weeks ago I was promoting Seguin, then he got injured. Until last night I was on the Kane train, then he got injured. It seems to me there is no clear front-runner at this point. Obviously, lots can change, but who does everyone think is going to take the Hart this season?

Right now I think I would vote for Tavares, especially if the Isles can hold on to #1 in the metro. After Okposo going down, I expected the Isles to struggle a bit, but Tavares has carried them.

Other possible candidates:

Goalie Division (always a tough call for Hart due to the existence of the Vezina):
Price - Where would Mtl be without his monster season
Dubnyk - I know he has only played like 35 games, but man, what an impact he has had in Minnesota.
Rinne - Great season, but his mid-season injury probably ended any thought of a Hart

Skaters:

Nash - I know he has been maligned over his career for lack of effort, etc., but he sure is filling the net this season, and the Rags have needed that production very badly
Ovechkin - He continues to score goals in bunches. I think he is hurt by the fact that Backstrom also has a huge number of points this season. That said, he has had a revival with the new coaching staff, and I think he will get votes.
Crosby - Yes, we all know, it has been a down year for him. However, he still has the highest ppg, and if he can find his scoring touch down the stretch, I think he will get some Hart love as well.
Tarasenko - Not a name player, and Stl doesn't get too much media attention, but he has had a great season on a very solid team.
Vorachek - He becomes a potential candidate if the Flyers somehow make the playoffs. He is hurt by Giroux, as it would be hard to say who is most valuable on that team. However, if they stay on different lines, and he continues to produce, I think he has a chance as well.

There are certainly other candidates, but I have to draw the line somewhere. Take a vote, give your thoughts (if you are so inclined).

[mikey287]

My top 3 currently are (no order);
- Ryan Getzlaf
- Carey Price
- Patrick Kane

My next tier is:
Rick Nash
Pekka Rinne
John Tavares

After that...eh...it gets murky. Giroux and Voracek cancel...Ovechkin has a claim, but Backstrom shouldn't be so far out of it either, which effectively cancels them...Dubnyk is N/A. Crosby isn't on the radar, not over Malkin or Letang at least...and those guys aren't really in it right now...Tarasenko has a weak claim I suppose...

With Kane going down and no forwards really sticking out this year...it feels like 2002 really...I'd say it might be Price's to lose...big market, always on national TV, playing phenomenally for a team that would likely be in the toilet without him, though they are defensive minded...also, their fancy stats are poor I think, so with those just coming out, I'm sure someone will go, "hey, they don't shoot enough to win...but they do win...so Price wins..."

[SubtropicalPenguin]

Getzlaf was probably an oversight by me not to include in the poll. Call it an East Coast Bias. (Edited the poll)(Edit to the Edit - I didn't think editing the poll would cause the votes to delete, but apparently it did. Re-vote if you want)

[Idoit40fans]

Whoever wins the ross.

[sniper]

As of now I think Price wins it rather easily. If one of the forwards near the top of the scoring rankings has a big final push and clearly pulls away that could change, but none of the forwards or d have really seperated themselves. Rinne is the only other goalie close to Price and I'd say that his defense in front of him is far better, plus he missed a few weeks. Getzlaf isn't currently in the top 10 in scoring...has any forward that far down the list ever won the hart? I doubt it's happened often if at all.

So baring a forward really pulling away from the pack or Price faltering down the stretch I think it's his.

[mikey287]

Getzlaf might not be top 10 in scoring right this second...but say one of his games at hand (tonight, say) on the guys ahead of him is 1+2...now he's 5th...three points out of first...so that's why it's not far fetched...especially because he's a beast defensively too...so his current rank in scoring obviously wouldn't disqualify him, especially with the brand of hockey he's played this year...it's a strange way to dismiss Getzlaf...

[count2infinity]

Whoever wins the ross.

Yup... In seasons like this where there is no standout winner, it will likely go to the winner of the Art Ross.

[Gaucho]

It probably should be a goalie, but yeah, whoever wins the Art Ross, I suppose.

[Kovy27]

Pekka Rinne should win it. Preds are the best team in hockey and he's the main reason.

[mikey287]

Kovy, say that Weber wins the Norris, Forsberg wins the Calder, Laviolette wins the Jack Adams and Rinne wins the Vezina (or finishes 2nd)...I feel like that's a lot of hardware to give a team and as much as it shouldn't be posed like this, you feel like a little voter fatigue might hurt on the Predators in that sense? I think Rinne is in the discussion (as I said above), but that's packing a lot of hardware on to one team, right? Might be tough for the voters to abide...

[Kovy27]

Kovy, say that Weber wins the Norris, Forsberg wins the Calder, Laviolette wins the Jack Adams and Rinne wins the Vezina (or finishes 2nd)...I feel like that's a lot of hardware to give a team and as much as it shouldn't be posed like this, you feel like a little voter fatigue might hurt on the Predators in that sense? I think Rinne is in the discussion (as I said above), but that's packing a lot of hardware on to one team, right? Might be tough for the voters to abide...

I personally think Letang wins the Norris.
Forsberg will be in the conversation for the Calder, but it isn't guaranteed.
Laviolette will probably win.

But if you take Rinne off that team...are they the best team in the league?

[mikey287]

No, they certainly aren't. But are they a playoff team? Possibly.

The Canadiens without Price are licking their chops for the McLottery though...

[pcm]

No, they certainly aren't. But are they a playoff team? Possibly.

The Canadiens without Price are licking their chops for the McLottery though...

Lots of things changed for the Preds last year to this, but the single biggest factor in going from a non-playoff team last year to the best in the league is Rinne.

The Canadiens were 2 wins away from the SCF last year, and that was without Price in the ecf...

[mikey287]

Again, I'm not knocking Rinne - clearly - but the entire organization went through upheaval and did a full 180 on their style of play of the past 15 years too...

[Kovy27]

Again, I'm not knocking Rinne - clearly - but the entire organization went through upheaval and did a full 180 on their style of play of the past 15 years too...

btw...Preds are my 2nd favorite team, so I'm sort of bias. However, I don't know if they are a playoff team with Hutton in goal all year.

[mikey287]

Oh, no, not Hutton...I'm replacing Rinne with an average starter...Hutton is a weak backup...he's bad...they're no where with him...

[Froggy]

Since the top 5 scorers are all pretty tight, I don't think it'll automatically go to the Ross winner, unless someone pulls away down the stretch. I'm thinking Ovi wins it because goals are sexy, and Kane is gonna obviously fall off due to his injury.

[relantel]

If Geno can close out the season like the last couple games he might run away with the Hart.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

Price or Tavares. But I think they'll be hesitant to give Price both the Vezina and Hart so Tavares

[mikey287]

The people that vote for the Hart are not the same people that vote for the Vezina...

[pcm]

If Geno can close out the season like the last couple games he might run away with the Hart.

I said at the beginning of the year Geno wins the Art Ross, and I'm sticking to it. Doubt he or Sid wins the Hart though, as neither is even our team's mvp.

[sniper]

Getzlaf might not be top 10 in scoring right this second...but say one of his games at hand (tonight, say) on the guys ahead of him is 1+2...now he's 5th...three points out of first...so that's why it's not far fetched...especially because he's a beast defensively too...so his current rank in scoring obviously wouldn't disqualify him, especially with the brand of hockey he's played this year...it's a strange way to dismiss Getzlaf...

Hmm I know you watch a ton of hockey Mikey and I know Getzlaf is a very good player. I just don't see him finishing high enough offensively at the end of the season to get serious consideration for the Hart. You say if he gets 1+2 he's fifth and 3 points out, but he's only had two 3 point games this season and none since early December. In fact he's only had four 2 point games out of his last 22 games. So how likely is it that he actually gets that close? Plus only NYI have played more games than Anaheim. He missed 3 games this year, but he doesn't get to make those up.

You say he's a beast defensively...I'm sure you've seen him play more than I have. When I see him he doesn't look bad defensively, but he doesn't stick out as anything special either. Out of the Centers on current playoff teams Getzlaf has the second worst goals against per 60 minutes of 5 on 5 play. Getzlaf has been on the ice for 2.8 goals against per 60 mins of 5 on 5 play. Only Kyle Brodziak is worse at 3.0. Kesler is at 2.1.

For comparison sake Getzlaf has been on the ice for 45, 5 on 5 goals this year and 39 against. Crosby has been on the ice for 40 goals for and 29 against. Malkin 44 goals for and 33 against. Toews 41 for 24 against. Tavares 52 for and 44 against. Bergeron 36 for 35 against. Those guys would get similar competition to Getzlaf.

I realize one player doesn't determine what goals are scored for and against and that Anaheim hasn't been good defensively as a team (only the Islanders are worse among playoff teams), but I'm not seeing anything that would lead me to believe Getzlaf has been anything special defensively. Only Fowler has been on the ice for more 5 on 5 goals against this year than him on his team. Do you have any stats to backup the beast defensively talk?

Stats are from war-on-ice.com

[Idoit40fans]

I think thats the way the east voters are going to look at it too...and he wont win.

[Pitt87]

I would have voted for Patrick Kane 3 weeks ago. Tough break for a star that was shining brighter than ever this year.

[Lesky]

Ovechkin will win easily when its all said and done - and if its a close call Ovechkin always comes out of on top in the voting as we all know.