2022 NHL Midseason Hart Trophy Predictions
With just about three-quarters of the NHL season complete, the Hart Trophy race remains tight with a new candidate taking over the top spot seemingly every week.
Here’s a look at the four candidates with the best shot at taking home the award at the end of the season.
Igor Shesterkin
It’s been seven years since Carey Price took home the Hart Trophy in 2015. This was the last time a goalie has won the award, but Igor Shesterkin could break that streak this season.
The Rangers’ goalie is currently posting a 2.07 goals-against average, which is good for second-best in the league, and a league-leading .938 save percentage.
Shesterkin also leads the league in goals saved above average with 37.78 and goals saved above expected with 34.97.
Jonathan Huberdeau
In every sport, the best player on the best teams is usually going to be a frontrunner to be named the league’s most valuable player. This happens to be the case with Huberdeau.
He currently sits at second in the league in points and assists with 86 and 65, respectively, while leading his Florida Panthers to the second-most points in the NHL and the most in the Eastern Conference with 90.
The Panthers' success is something that can’t be ignored when it comes to the voting for this award, so when you pair that with Huberdeau’s production, he has a very strong case to win his first Hart Trophy.
Connor McDavid
Connor McDavid is a frontrunner for the Hart Trophy. What else is new?
McDavid leads the league in points with 87 while also having the fourth most assists with 53. On top of that, he also happens to have 34 goals so McDavid’s all-around elite game has been on full display once again this season.
McDavid has already won two Hart Trophies in his career and he’s in a very good position to add a third if the Oilers can finish the regular season with a spot in the playoffs.
Auston Matthews
While Matthews isn’t having the historic season of a guy like Igor Shesterkin or the eye-popping point totals like McDavid and Huberdeau, he might be the current frontrunner for this award.
Matthews leads the league in goals with 45 and still has a more than respectable 77 points in just 56 games played.
He also has his Maple Leafs in prime playoff position with 83 points. Compared to the other candidates for the MVP title, Matthews’s team is second in that category to just Huberdeau’s Panthers.
Jakob Schnur is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jks6463@psu.edu
