NHL Hart Trophy Watch
Connor McDavid - Center - Edmonton Oilers
The two-time Hart Trophy winner, Connor McDavid continues to show why he’s such a generational talent, scoring 38 goals and assisting on 46 others through just 46 games.
McDavid is scoring at an outstanding rate, more specifically 20.3% of his shots and averaging 1.83 points per game, a number not seen in quite some time for a player averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game.
He was selected for his sixth straight All Star game and is currently on pace for a 152 points season. The last time an NHL player cracked 150 points was back in the 1995-1996 season where Hall-of-Famer Mario Lemieux posted 161 points.
Jason Robertson - Winger - Dallas Stars
During the offseason, it seemed unlikely that 23-year-old Jason Robertson would return to Dallas for his fourth NHL season. Robertson struggled to find middle ground with Stars’ general manager Jim Nill for a contract extension. Fortunately for Dallas, they were able to ink him to a four-year, $31,000,000 contract carrying an average cap hit of $7,750,000 per season.
He has been worth every penny for the Stars, quickly becoming their leading scorer and most valuable asset. Through 45 games, he has scored 29 goals and assisted on 31 and is currently scoring over 1.3 points per game.
Robertson will appear in his first All-Star game this season and is seeking his first ever Hart Memorial Trophy.
David Pastrnak - Winger - Boston Bruins
David Pastrnak and Boston have been on a whole new level this season under new head coach Jim Montgomery.
Pastrnak and the Bruins have exceeded all expectations and have been the league's best team through the first half of the season. The Bruins’ first line of Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand have combined for 137 points through 43 games played and Pastrnak individually has accounted for 35 goals and 27 assists.
He’s scoring at a 1.44 point per game clip and is on pace for a 118 point season. He will become a free agent at the end of this season and if he continues to produce at this level, he will earn himself a huge contract.
Nikita Kucherov - Winger - Tampa Bay Lightning
The two-time Stanley Cup champion, Nikita Kucherov has had an outstanding first 42 games in Tampa Bay, netting 17 goals and assisting on 45.
He was selected to the All Star game for the fifth time in his career and is looking to close his 10th NHL season with a second Hart Memorial Trophy. In his career, Kucherov has reached the 100 point mark twice, and has the potential to make it his third in just five seasons. Presently, he leads the Lightning in points and has averaged 1.48 points per game halfway through the season.
Tage Thompson - Center - Buffalo Sabres
Seeing 25-year-old Tage Thompson produce at this level has been a true shock to the NHL. He’s become one of the league's best players and is a consistent threat whenever he’s on the ice. In his first four years in Buffalo, he has averaged only 23.5 points per season and struggled to find his game. Many labeled him a bust as the league continues to become younger and younger.
During the offseason, Thompson put his nose to the grindzone and worked on his game and it has paid off this season, a pleasant surprise for Sabres fans and coaches. He has taken the league by storm, finding the back of the net 32 times and picking up 27 assists through 43 games. On Dec. 7, Tage became just the fourth active NHL player to score five goals in one game in a game against Columbus. He leads the Sabres in points, averaging 1.37 points per game and was selected to his first All Star game this February in Florida.
Owen Gelber is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email
omg5144@psu.edu.
