[News] Hart finalists: Crosby, Ovechkin, Tavares

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by Captain_Obvious

Very simple question that requires a very short simple answer: How many Islanders games did you watch this season?

To be fair, the same doubts can be cast your way. Of course, anyone could also say they saw games without being verified.

If stats are the basis of judgment there's no need to see games viewed either.

[flambers]

Best player was Crosby....

Ovechkin will probably win the award....

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by saillias

Not eastern bias... Toews just didn't deserve to be nominated. If you pick a player from Chicago Kane was probably their MVP this year.

Seriously?

The guy should win the award...period.

[Joborule]

Considering how Ovechkin completely amped up his game to get them into the playoffs, I would give him the Hart for that.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by Joborule

Considering how Ovechkin completely amped up his game to get them into the playoffs, I would give him the Hart for that.

He was very good towards the end of the year, but I guess I just don't like players who take the first 1/4 or 1/2 the season off before they start to play. Hart trophy winners should be good all season, not just part of it, IMO.

[Bootsy]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

To be fair, the same doubts can be cast your way. Of course, anyone could also say they saw games without being verified.

If stats are the basis of judgment there's no need to see games viewed either.

And if that's the case then it diminishes it's value even more, the winner of the Lindsay is the true MVP.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

He was very good towards the end of the year, but I guess I just don't like players who take the first 1/4 or 1/2 the season off before they start to play. Hart trophy winners should be good all season, not just part of it, IMO.

Im just not sure its that simple though.

Yes the team got off to a rough start, but im not sure i could characterize Ovechkin as just "taking time off".

Oates system was new to the whole bunch of them and certainly different from anything Boudreau or Hunter had used. Getting used to that along with new linemates without the benefit of any sort of TC spelt trouble for more than a few players this season.


What we do now is that when things started to click in DC, was when Ovechkin found his game and he very much carried that club along with Holtby into an amazing run to the 3rd seed...division be damned.

I think he not only deserves to win, he should...since toews isnt even among the top 3.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Captain_Obvious

Very simple question that requires a very short simple answer: How many Islanders games did you watch this season?

Probably 8-10 in the regular season plus playoffs.

You haven't provided any reasoning or evidence of why Tavares should win the trophy besides "He put the team on his back".

Maybe you haven't watched any Islanders games this season?

[Captain_Obvious]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Probably 8-10 in the regular season plus playoffs.

You haven't provided any reasoning or evidence of why Tavares should win the trophy besides "He put the team on his back".

Maybe you haven't watched any Islanders games this season?

I have Centre Ice and have seen the Isles play several times this year. Aside from his stats, Tavaras has been a catalyst for them in many ways that don't necessarily translate to statistics. He's one of the best young players in the game.

I really get the feeling you're full of it and wouldn't be surprised if you hadn't seen a single Isles game this year.

I already said I think Crosby should win, but unlike you, am not on some kind of silly and weak tangent about a very good and deserving player being nominated.

Had you said your piece and moved on it would have been one thing. But holding this much outrage over a nomination is really suspect.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Probably 8-10 in the regular season plus playoffs.

You haven't provided any reasoning or evidence of why Tavares should win the trophy besides "He put the team on his back".

Maybe you haven't watched any Islanders games this season?

Lol you don't even know that he actually thinks Crosby should win? He voted for him and he has said it multiple times in this thread.

Good rebuttal.

[OzSome]

Pittsburgh was still winning without Sidney Crosby while Ovechkin struggled early in the season. Without Tavares Islanders wouldn't even make the playoff this season. I have to pick John Tavares.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Captain_Obvious

I have Centre Ice and have seen the Isles play several times this year. Aside from his stats, Tavaras has been a catalyst for them in many ways that don't necessarily translate to statistics. He's one of the best young players in the game.

I really get the feeling you're full of it and wouldn't be surprised if you hadn't seen a single Isles game this year.

Like what? Doesn't play a shutdown role, doesn't play physical, doesn't PK, average defensive play. Maybe he gives the world's best pep talks in the dressing room? I dunno

He's a great offensive player, and he was great offensively last season. The biggest difference this season is the emergence of the second line, Goaltending, and an improved defense core.

If you followed the Islanders at all you would know this.

Islanders fans were even split this season on who the team MVP was between Nabokov and Tavares.

I like Tavares plenty, but I am not a fan at all of giving Hart Trophy votes to the best player on an average team, just because he's on an average team.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Statistics wise they might put up similar numbers, but Nash only got Columbus to the playoffs once in 2008-09. And he wasn't their leader that year that was because of Steve Mason's spectacular rookie year, where he dragged the Blue Jackets to their one and only playoff berth. That year Mason finished 4th in Hart Trophy voting. If Nash had ever led Columbus to the playoffs in his time there similarly as Tavares did then he probably would have received Hart Trophy consideration as well.

Mason finishing 4th for the Hart was a joke too. The guy played out of his mind for the first 20 games or so, then average at best the rest of the way.

He was another guy that got Hart consideration for having a good story rather then having one of the best seasons.

They really just need to change the wording of the Hart trophy to "best player". That's what its meant to be.

Then we would never have to see stuff like Iginla being stupidly robbed just because his team didn't make the playoffs.

[Captain_Obvious]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Like what? Doesn't play a shutdown role, doesn't play physical, doesn't PK, average defensive play. Maybe he gives the world's best pep talks in the dressing room? I dunno

He's a great offensive player, and he was great offensively last season. The biggest difference this season is the emergence of the second line, Goaltending, and an improved defense core.

If you followed the Islanders at all you would know this.

Islanders fans were even split this season on who the team MVP was between Nabokov and Tavares.

I like Tavares plenty, but I am not a fan at all of giving Hart Trophy votes to the best player on an average team, just because he's on an average team.

This is exactly what I'm talking about, and reeks of someone just looking at stats on the score sheet.

If you'd watched the Isles play this year, you'd see why I used the word catalyst. He was on the ice more than any forward and was constantly creating and driving their play.

I remember reading that he accounted for nearly a quarter of the team's total goals and had nearly twice as many tallies as the next Islander.

I think he's deserving because it's blatantly obvious *watching* the Islanders how vital he was to their success. And that is also backed up on the stats sheets seeing him 3rd in goals in the league accounting for a significant portion of his team's overall offensive output.

You clearly don't like Tavaras, as the lengths you're going to in an attempt to discredit him are ridiculous.

As I alluded to earlier, what this is is an upset and jealous Oiler fan seeing a young player getting recognized for helping his poor team turn it around and secure a playoff birth when a handful of those types of young dynamic players in Edmonton couldn't do the same.

[trackercowe]

I wouldn't be surprised if it is a case of an Oilers fan being jealous of Tavares' success compared to their own first overall picks.

The last 5 first overall picks have been:
Steven Stamkos
John Tavares
Taylor Hall
Ryan Nugent Hopkins
Nail Yakupov

I think we know which two are going to be the best players going forward on that list. I'll give you a hint, none of them currently play in Edmonton.

It's a shame the Oilers didn't time their epic failures properly so they could have ended up with two franchise players in Stamkos and Tavares.

[Reign of Fire]

Random thought: Tavares is better than any of the guys Edmonton got with their first overall picks.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

I wouldn't be surprised if it is a case of an Oilers fan being jealous of Tavares' success compared to their own first overall picks.

The last 5 first overall picks have been:
Steven Stamkos
John Tavares
Taylor Hall
Ryan Nugent Hopkins
Nail Yakupov

I think we know which two are going to be the best players going forward on that list. I'll give you a hint, none of them currently play in Edmonton.

It's a shame the Oilers didn't time their epic failures properly so they could have ended up with two franchise players in Stamkos and Tavares.

It's still too early to say whether or not those three Oiler picks are going to break out, but assuming they don't I think a part of their failure would have to be attributed to how the Oilers have developed them. Becoming a star is certainly partly up to the individual, but the team and organization they're introduced to the NHL through must also have a part in setting them up for what they are able to achieve with the talent they had when drafted.

[cowtown75]

Tavares a close second, Crosby wins.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Joborule

Considering how Ovechkin completely amped up his game to get them into the playoffs, I would give him the Hart for that.

They wouldn't have been out of the playoffs if Ovechkin wasn't playing so subpar to start the season.

And I don't know if it was a complete coincidence that Ovechkin turned his game around late March. That same time his team got to play a self-imploding Jets back-to-back, then the Rangers who were tied for 8th/9th, then the 11th place Islanders, then no chance for playoff teams Buffalo and Philadelphia, then Carolina who had gone into full tank mode, Islanders again and then the disgraceful Panthers and Lightning. That ten game stretch that Washington went 8-1-1 on and Ovechkin got 19 points was the turning point of the season, sure, but it was also the easiest schedule any team had this year. Up until then the Capitals were out of the playoffs and it was Ribeiro who was leading the team in points, as Ovechkin didn't even have a point-per-game and most of them came through the powerplay anyways.

I suppose the short season might be the exception here, but no player should win the Hart based on 1 month of play.

[Da_Chief]

if its the best player award -> Crosby
if its the most valuable player to his team -> Tavares (without him they're talking Jones or Mackinnon right now)