Hart voting, can Johnny win?

[Reggie Dunlop]

Johnny is the clear favorite

[AustinL_NHL]

There's a clear top 4 IMO.

In no particular order:

- Gaudreau
- Matthews
- Josi
- Shesterkin

Unfortunately I think Shesterkin is the odd man out because I don't think he'll have enough starts to warrant votes from some voters, but there's amazing cases to be made for all 4 players.

[thefoss1957]

Not to be a troll here, you guys/gals know me, but, I get the impression the Calgary market just gets no press in the US, and any US voters for the awards would be barely aware of Gaudreau's accomplishments. The vote will go to a bigger market guy that has name recognition.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by thefoss1957

Not to be a troll here, you guys/gals know me, but, I get the impression the Calgary market just gets no press in the US, and any US voters for the awards would be barely aware of Gaudreau's accomplishments. The vote will go to a bigger market guy that has name recognition.

I don't consider it trolling. But IMO the bias is more East vs. West. Many of the press in the East hardly ever see the Flames in action.

That being said, Johnny's American citizenship will probably garner him a bit more attention than he would otherwise have as a Flame.

[Reggie Dunlop]

It's Johnny's to lose

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by thefoss1957

Not to be a troll here, you guys/gals know me, but, I get the impression the Calgary market just gets no press in the US, and any US voters for the awards would be barely aware of Gaudreau's accomplishments. The vote will go to a bigger market guy that has name recognition.

Plenty of Flames players have won awards, Gio just won a Norris, Kipper won a Vezina, Iggy got screwed out of the Hart by an Eastern Canadian team and their biased media (which is what could happen here)

They will have someone top 5 in

Jack Addams
Vezina
Hart
Selke

Some finalists and likely a win or two in there as well.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Surprised Huberdeau is not getting more appreciation. He has set, and continues building on the record for most assists ever by a left winger. Plays all situations. He is having a great year.

I hope Johnny gets the attention. I think he ends up in the +60s and other coaches are talking about him playing at a different level this year. His checking is outstanding

[Hockey_Ninja]

I honestly just hope Johnny is a finalist at this point. I think Matthews is gonna win it

[vilzeh]

I think Huberdeau shouldn't win it, because IMO he's not the best/most important player in his team.

[direwolf]

I think Johnny will end up a finalist, but since he doesn't play for Toronto or Edmonton, his chances of winning are pretty much zilch.

[Northendzone]

^ i would tend to agree with the above statement

[Strange Brew]

Other than Mathews, I feel like there is no clear consensus when you hear voters or other hockey media discuss the Hart (outside of Calgary).

Gaudreau is having an incredible season and much better in all respects than in 2019 when he finished 4th in voting. It's conceivable he doesn't finish any higher in the voting though.

The Flames were 2nd overall in the regular season in 2019/19 so maybe there was more of a desire to vote for someone on the team for the Hart. Flames are having a great season but not as high in league standings so there isn't a Flames vote necessarily. If Gaudreau was having the same season as he did in 2018/19, he wouldn't even be in the conversation.

[CaptainCrunch]

McDavid will win because its the easy lazy vote to make, not because he actually is the MVP. There are literally three players in the province that do more, with less then McDavid.

[Heavy Jack]

If Gaudreau throws down 90 ES points, 110+ total points and a +60 or more which hasn’t been seen/done since Gretzky then I really don’t see how he doesn’t win. A season not accomplished since the great one is a pretty good argument no matter how good Shesterkin has been in NY or how many goals Mathews puts up in Toronto. Unfortunately I think this will be a lot like when Iggy got jobbed by Theodore and the awards rightful winner is at the mercy of eastern media bias. One of those is what it is type situations which sucks.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by thefoss1957

Not to be a troll here, you guys/gals know me, but, I get the impression the Calgary market just gets no press in the US, and any US voters for the awards would be barely aware of Gaudreau's accomplishments. The vote will go to a bigger market guy that has name recognition.

Johnny does have a bit of an edge over other Western candidates in that the US hockey media is more aware of him as an American and former college star. He gets a lot of love from Eastern US media.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Coach

Johnny does have a bit of an edge over other Western candidates in that the US hockey media is more aware of him as an American and former college star. He gets a lot of love from Eastern US media.

This is an underrated point. He may well have more name recognition than Huberdeau or Josi.

[Enoch Root]

It's an interesting race because the candidates are all different types of players. And I think there are 5, in no particular order:

McDavid (points leader)
Matthews (goals leader)
Gaudreau (EVP and +/- both at historical levels)
Josi (historical point total for defenseman)
Shesterkin (best goalie by large amount, carrying his team)

No way Huberdeau wins, as he has no such claim

I don't see McDavid winning, as his points lead isn't big enough

That leaves the other 4, and it comes down to which story you like best. And of course, the Vezina and the Norris might affect Shesterkin and Josi's chances

[CroFlames]

For me the top three now are (in no particular order)

- Mathews
- Johnny
- Josi

It will be tough for any of the candidates to overcome the Toronto bias, but if there are four or five 50 goal men this season (likely) Mathews goal total doesn't seem that impressive.

Johnny's EVP and +/- is at a level we haven't seen in a long time, and is basically unheard of in the cap-era. His TOI being significantly lower than the other top 10 scorers underscores how impressive he has been. The guy will put up points in any situation. Very solid candidate.

Josi is a d-man on pace for 100 points, who happens to be excellent in his own end too. He'll runaway with the Norris obviously, but I think voters are biased toward forwards in Hart voting.

[The Fisher Account]

Yall acting like anyone is going to factor ES points into the equation. Nice footnote, but won't matter to PHWA

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

It's an interesting race because the candidates are all different types of players. And I think there are 5, in no particular order:

McDavid (points leader)
Matthews (goals leader)
Gaudreau (EVP and +/- both at historical levels)
Josi (historical point total for defenseman)
Shesterkin (best goalie by large amount, carrying his team)

No way Huberdeau wins, as he has no such claim

I don't see McDavid winning, as his points lead isn't big enough

That leaves the other 4, and it comes down to which story you like best. And of course, the Vezina and the Norris might affect Shesterkin and Josi's chances

Not sure why Josi is ‘historical’ and Huberdeau has ‘no such claim’

Josi might end up with a season that is top 20 in points for a D but is nowhere near the Orr / Coffey seasons. Norris, sure, Hart no

https://records.nhl.com/records/skat...man-one-season

Huberdeau is the top all time in assists for a LW in a season, at 78 and counting, with Joe Juneau’s 70 in the rear view mirror
https://records.nhl.com/records/skat...ing-one-season

* And of course Johnny should overtake Juneau soon, maybe even today, as he is sitting at a nice 69 assists entering tonight’s game with Chicago