It was a disappointing playoff showing for Connor McDavid and Edmonton Oilers, but it likely won’t lower the overwhelmingly high odds of McDavid winning the Hart Trophy.
Awarded to the league’s MVP, the Hart is considered to be one of the highest individual honours awarded yearly. It’s always a hot topic of discussion, and the Hart race is something talked about all year long. In 2020-21, it wasn’t much of a conversation. McDavid’s unbelievable 105 points in just 56 games has essentially crowned him the Hart Trophy recipient.
If (or, more likely, when) the decision becomes official, it will be the continuation of a very strange trend over the past few years. Teammate Leon Draisaitl won the Trophy last, but the Oilers failed to make the playoffs after falling in the play-in round. Before that, it was Nikita Kucherov winning the Hart. His Tampa Bay Lightning were unexpectedly swept at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets that postseason.
Between Kucherov’s Bolts, Draisaitl’s play-in Oilers, and McDavid’s North Division Oilers, all three were heavy favourites. The play-in Oilers did win a game against the Montreal Canadiens, but that does not officially count as a postseason win.
The last Hart winner to win a playoff game was officially Taylor Hall. Interestingly, there was controversy when Hall won it over McDavid, but the thinking seemed to be Hall playing for a playoff-bound team.
Don’t get us wrong, we’re not assigning a curse to the Hart Trophy. It’s just a strange coincidence…
…for now. ;)
(H/T Chris Ryan)
