As we get closer and closer to the season’s end, we take a closer look at some of the league’s best and top candidates for the assorted list of NHL awards.
Here we will take a look at some of the league’s best skaters; those deemed most detrimental to their teams’ success this season.
The Hart Memorial Trophy was introduced into the league in 1924 and since then has been awarded to 56 different players across 92 seasons. It is awarded to the player deemed to be the “most valuable to his team” throughout the season. The winner is selected by vote, the voters being the members of the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association. The award was donated to the NHL by the father of long-time Montreal Canadiens’ coach Cecil Hart – David Hart.
The first recipient of the award was original Ottawa Senators centerman Frank Nighbor after a Stanley Cup-winning season. The NHL player with the most Hart Memorial trophies to his name is the great one: Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky won the award nine times in his career, including an eight-year stretch of consecutive wins.
Last season saw the Hart Memorial trophy go to Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, who had also won last season’s Art Ross trophy for amassing the most points of any player last season.
*Note that all statistics listed are at the time of writing*
1. Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers
G: 32
P: 88
+/-: 35
Without a doubt, forward Artemi Panarin was the most sought-after free agent following the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs. Panarin had spent his whole career up to that point with the Columbus Blue Jackets and when the New York Rangers signed him as a free agent, that was the team’s way of announcing that they were taking this season seriously. Although the Rangers don’t currently find themselves where they thought they’d be after crucial free-agent signings, no one can deny that they’d be nowhere near the playoff picture if it wasn’t for Panarin. At the time of writing, the Rangers sit two spots out of the wildcard picture.
The team is still more than capable of making the playoffs and that’s because of their star forward. Panarin has registered 32 goals and 88 points this season, ranking him third overall in points out of the entire league. What’s most impressive about Panarin’s season, however, is that, despite the Rangers’ struggles at times, Panarin has managed a plus-35 rating, which ranks the highest on this list.
He averages 1.40 points per game this season, 21 power-play points, a 16.5 shooting percentage, and a clean 50.0 faceoff percentage. He also has four game-winners in 2020.
2. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
G: 37
P: 99
+/-: -11
Yes, he plays alongside Connor McDavid, but Draisaitl has stepped out of that shadow, even more, this season. Not only has he remained a step ahead of McDavid all season long on the scoresheet, but Draisaitl has also led the league in points for the majority of the season. He proved his worth even more across different McDavid injury absences in which Draisaitl didn’t miss a step; proving that he is more than essential to the team.
For a team considered to have little-to-no secondary offense, it’s not unfair to say that Draisaitl has put this team on his back. Just shy of 100 points this season, the German forward has been crucial in this Edmonton team currently sitting in a playoff position – sitting third in the Pacific division behind Vegas and Vancouver. Edmonton has also led the league in power-play percentage for much of the season. Much of that has to do with the fact that 40 of Draisaitl’s 99 points this season have come with the man-advantage.
Draisaitl is a minus-11 on the season, but that is nothing to balk at when one looks at what Draisaitl has been given to work with. He has been averaging 1.55 points per game this season, has a staggering 18.7 shooting percentage, and ten game-winning goals for the Oilers. He even has a positive faceoff percentage at 51.8 percent.
3. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
G: 33
P: 85
+/-: +9
Nathan MacKinnon has been an all-star since day one of his career. Part of a hot, young offense that includes Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog, MacKinnon went above and beyond this season and proved his worth amidst a stretch that saw both of his linemates suffer long-term injuries. During that time, MacKinnon stepped up in every way and it was during that time when he climbed into the league’s top-five in scoring. He has remained there since currently having the fifth-highest point total in the NHL this season.
The team is once again healthy and sit second in the Western Conference behind only the Stanley Cup champions, the St. Louis Blues. The team is capable of anything when healthy but it was MacKinnon that kept them competitive and in the hunt during those weakened, disheartening stretches of time.
Averaging 1.35 points per game this season, MacKinnon has ten power-play goals and 29 power-play points. He has four game-winners, including two in overtime. The only player on this list to average more ice-time per game than MacKinnon is Leon Draisaitl. He is also one of the best creators of scoring opportunities as he leads all players on this list in shots with almost 300 this season!
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