Now that the NHL’s 2017-18 regular season is in the rear-view mirror, there is talk about Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid and whether or not he should be a candidate for the Hart Trophy, much less win it. Before voicing a yay or nay answer to the MVP question, a clue for consideration is on the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF) website.
The HHOF’s description of the Hart Memorial Trophy says “the trophy is presented to the most valuable player during the regular season.” An obvious extension of that is being the most valuable to his team. Take that one step further and define what valuable means. Is it points scored? Plus/minus stats or is it how management is influenced by the players’ actions on the ice. Everyone will have their own interpretation.
While most of us have an armchair opinion, let’s not forget the voting is conducted by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. While casting votes appear straightforward, some pundits inject a condition saying the team should make the playoff or at least be in playoff contention. Some have noted that former Pittsburgh Penguin player Mario Lemieux was the last Hart winner whose team, not only failed to make the playoffs in the 1987-88 season but finished dead last in the division formerly known as the Patrick.
This added playoff condition does not sit well with some people as the Hart is clearly an individual award and making the playoffs is a team effort. What some pundits may not consider is good coaching and smart management moves go hand-in-hand with having skilled players for having team success. All three components working in unison are integral to a team making the playoffs.
If a GM is unable to put the pieces together and address team needs, the coaches will have fewer pieces to work with. And if the coaches can’t figure out line combinations or how to handle their opponents game strategy, the chances of winning are diminished. Therefore, adding the playoff condition is not fair to individual players going above and beyond for their team. On a level playing field, the intent of the Hart should be the only consideration for winning said trophy and have no bearing on the team’s regular season record.
Given the pure intentions of the Hart Trophy, Connor McDavid is hands down the most valuable player to his team. Some will still insist his team never made the playoffs with him and certainly would not make the playoffs without him. True enough, but the Oilers won more games with him than they would have without him.
Looking at the Oilers’ team stats lends a clue to McDavid’s value as the Oilers scored 234 goals as a team on the season or 2.85 goals per game. They also allowed 263 goals or 3.2 goals per game. The overall difference is a -29 on the season which puts the Oilers in the bottom 10 in the NHL in the goals for/against differential.
Now, McDavid won the Art Ross trophy with 108 points averaging 1.32 points per game. Going on raw data take his 1.32 PPG from the Oilers 2.85 goals per game and the Oilers are down to 1.53 GPG or about 125 goals over the 82-game season. The Buffalo Sabres, with that other generational guy Jack Eichel, are the only NHL team failed to score 200 goals, ending with 199, in the regular season, and they finished dead last in the league.
Without McDavid the Oilers, clearly, would have had the worst offense in the league and, more than likely would have finished dead last in the league and would have been in line for the projected number one prospect Rasmus Dahlin.
McDavid also lead the league in even-strength points with 84 and ended the season as a plus 20. That is better than Nikita Kucherov, Evgeni Malkin, Nathan MacKinnon and Taylor Hall, all of whom played on teams going into the playoffs. McDavid’s plus/minus numbers stand out a little bit more considering the Oilers were a minus 28 on the season.
In the purest definition of the Hart Trophy, McDavid should win this award hands down. But the playoff spin condition some pundits add in choosing the Hart Trophy winner takes McDavid’s name off the table, and that simply is not right.
By Verhomme