Crosby, Ovechkin, Tavares Named Finalists For Hart

Via: thestar.com

Each year the Hart Memorial trophy is awarded to the NHL player adjudged to be most valuable to his team as determined by hockey writers across North America. It's always a controversial award, but also the most prestigious in hockey. Let's take a look at this year's finalists, who were announced this morning.

Sidney Crosby - Pittsburgh Penguins: Pretty much everything I wrote about Crosby's nomination for the Lindsay award could be repeated here. Sid had an amazing season, finishing 3rd in league scoring with 56 points, despite missing a quarter of the season with injury. There was no doubt that he was the best player in the league this year, but his injury may lessen his chances here. If Crosby wins, it'll be his second career Hart trophy, the first coming in 2007.


Alex Ovechkin - Washington Capitals: Like Crosby, Ovechkin is also nominated for both the Lindsay and the Hart after an identical 56 points. It's nice to see these two battling as the best in the league again. Ovechkin had a great bounce back year, scoring 32 goals to win his record 3rd Rocket Richard trophy. Some may question Ovechkin's commitment to defense, as Crosby plays a more rounded game than him, and that could have hurt him in the voting. If Ovechkin wins, it will be his third career Hart. There's very little that separates these two superstars.

John Tavares - New York Islanders: The wildcard in all this will be Tavares, the Islanders young superstar who continued his ascension among the best in the world after another stellar year. Tavares finished with 28 goals and would have had a good shot at 50 had this been a full NHL season. Even more than his points totals was the way he led a young Islanders squad and nearly single-handedly willed them into a post-season berth. It's Tavares' first, of what is likely to be many, Hart nominations.

Missing the Cut: 
Jonathan Toews - Chicago Blackhawks: 23 goals, 48 points, +28 rating.
Patrick Kane - Chicago Blackhawks: 23 goals, 55 points.
Martin St. Louis - Tampa Bay Lightning: 43 assists, 60 points, Art Ross winner.
Pavel Datsyuk - Detroit Red Wings: 15 goals, 49 points, +21 rating.
Ryan Getzlaf - Anaheim Ducks: 15 goals, 49 points, +14 rating.

There are many in the Western Conference that will feel slighted by the exclusion of Toews and Kane, who led the Blackhawks to the best record in the NHL. Though both would have been worthy of nomination in my mind, especially Toews, who I expect will be announced as a Selke finalist here soon, it seems they may have been hurt by playing on the same team and having their votes split as a result.

Prediction: I think in all likelihood this could be one of the closest votes in recent memory. Ovechkin may suffer from his lack of all around ability, Crosby because he was injured, and Tavares because he was just a step behind these two on the scoresheet. In the end, the award will likely go to Crosby, however, if there is any justice and the Hart truly goes to the player most valuable to his team instead of the NHL's best player, this award should to go Tavares.  I showed Crosby's amazing goal from last night in a previous post, but here's Tavares with some brilliant stickwork of his own to get a good scoring chance against the Pens yesterday: