Will Cale Makar ever win a hart trophy in his career?

[bobholly39]

Pretty straightforward question - does Makar ever win a hart trophy?

For reference on how rare this is for defensemen, here is the record of some of the very best defenders over the past ~40 years:

- Erik Karlsson, fantastic peak on a "weak" team he often carried (good situation for hart votes usually), but never won a hart, and highest finish was 5th place
- Lidstrom - fantastic player, but never won a hart, and highest finish was 4th place
- Doughty - highest hart finish was 11th place
- Chris Pronger - he did famously win the hart in 2000, but his highest finish outside of that is a 15th place
- Bourque famously was runner up twice (2nd place), but never did win a hart

Obviously - Orr did win multiple harts (3x), but he honestly probably could have won as much as 6. Voters were even hard on him, as a defenseman.

Cale Makar is off to a historic start to his career. For first three seasons of a career, he probably has an argument for #2 all-time behind Orr for a defenseman, or at least in argument of. We all know he's great, and likely has a great career ahead of him. He seems like he's the type of player who will be in contention for the Norris most seasons of his career. But what about the hart?

Will Cale Makar ever win the hart trophy in his career?

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[avsfan9]

I think he wins one during his career. He’s young and will score between 80- 100 points year in and out during his career. He plays most minutes in the League on a nightly basis but will be hard to get the nod while Mackinnon is scoring at a 100 point pace every season but I think it is possible.

 

[jigglysquishy]

No.

Since the Norris Trophy was invented in 1953, only two defenseman have won the Hart.

The only finalists since then are Red Kelly, Doug Harvey, Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, Rod Langway, Mark Howe, and Ray Bourque.

8 defensemen to finish top 3 in 70 years.

Makar might finish third one year, but to win is extraordinarily unlikely.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Pronger won the Hart because Jagr missed a bunch of games. Otherwise, it's a different story.

Voters seem obsessed with giving it to forwards. Goalies on rare occasion.

Just like the NFL MVP is basically the QB MVP.

It'll be tough, not impossible, for him to win Hart.

 

[wetcoast]

No.

Since the Norris Trophy was invented in 1953, only two defenseman have won the Hart.

The only finalists since then are Red Kelly, Doug Harvey, Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, Rod Langway, Mark Howe, and Ray Bourque.

8 defensemen to finish top 3 in 70 years.

Makar might finish third one year, but to win is extraordinarily unlikely.

This is what I'm thinking as well but went with option #3 as he could have a crazy good season to get him there but man the % is really low, just too many great forwards in the league and more coming.

 

[centipede2233]

No.

Since the Norris Trophy was invented in 1953, only two defenseman have won the Hart.

The only finalists since then are Red Kelly, Doug Harvey, Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, Rod Langway, Mark Howe, and Ray Bourque.

8 defensemen to finish top 3 in 70 years.

Makar might finish third one year, but to win is extraordinarily unlikely.

And Pronger won it in the dead puck era. And guess what, it’s 80’s scoring these days. Lidstrom, bourque, coffey didn’t win a hart, neither will makar. He might find a nomination somewhere down the line. The hart has not be kind to d men.

 

[Regal]

It’s still funny how different the Conn Smythe wins tend to be compared to the Hart. Almost like, once you watch most games it’s easier to see the value of a defenseman than when looking at the stat sheet and seeing the occasional game. I think bias and having MacKinnon probably means it’s unlikely he’ll win, but could maybe see a finalist appearance.

 

[Madap]

No, he’s over-rated.

Before everyone jus on me, he’s fantastic. One of the best in the league. Top 10 probably.

But for those saying he’s as valuable as mcdavid…. Lol. Talk about homerism.

 

[Ivo]

Doubt it. He’s a defensman, which is a great disadvantage. He is on a powerhouse team, which doesn’t help. Maybe, if he played in Montreal or Toronto and carried a weak team to the playoffs. It would take something like that for a Dman to win.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

No but retrospectively people will say he should've had higher finishes like they do with Lidstrom now.

Because D have their own award the voters never give them a fair shake at the mvp

 

[Hockeyholic]

No, he’s over-rated.

Before everyone jus on me, he’s fantastic. One of the best in the league. Top 10 probably.

But for those saying he’s as valuable as mcdavid…. Lol. Talk about homerism.

He is as valuable.

Teams can win a cup without an elite #1 C. It's near impossible to win a cup without a legit #1 D.

 

[dmac7719]

With the way voting goes for this reward, I do find it hard to believe he'll ever win. Between some other top players having off years or injured, and an injuring to say Mackinnon, just can't see it happening.

But I'm content on this, I'll just watch him win a couple more Smythes

 

[ole ole]

He is as valuable.

Teams can win a cup without an elite #1 C. It's near impossible to win a cup without a legit #1 D.

McDavid easily more valuable than Makar and this isn't a knock on Makar.
Ask yourself Who would you rather have between the two.
On the Hart question...No.

 

[The Abusement Park]

He is as valuable.

Teams can win a cup without an elite #1 C. It's near impossible to win a cup without a legit #1 D.

I mean idk about that. More teams have recently won cups without A legit 1D than a 1C.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Not until he does this without MacKinnon on the ice

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

I don't think he's good enough to win a Hart, but the one thing he has going for him is the media has really embraced him as one of their favorite players, which gives him a better chance than a lot of guys who will never be Hart favorites, but could maybe contend for one in a year where they have a good season. Ultimately the media's favoritism plays just as significant of a role as the actual play of the players in the league.

 

[User9992]

Doubt it. Even his Hart was a bit questionable since Josi had better regular season than him

 

[Regal]

He is as valuable.

Teams can win a cup without an elite #1 C. It's near impossible to win a cup without a legit #1 D.

I think there’s always a way to win with different roster constructions as long as you have the right mix/talent, but I think it’s the reverse. It’s a lot easier to win with a deep defense that can defend and transition the puck at an above average level but none are elite than to win without an elite forward who can score regularly against the flow of play. The best defenseman on the Pens in ‘17 and Carolina in ‘06 was worse than the best forward on any cup winner.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

I seriously doubt it, even a top 3 finish is questionable

 

[Video Nasty]

I don't think he's good enough to win a Hart, but the one thing he has going for him is the media has really embraced him as one of their favorite players, which gives him a better chance than a lot of guys who will never be Hart favorites, but could maybe contend for one in a year where they have a good season. Ultimately the media's favoritism plays just as significant of a role as the actual play of the players in the league.

This is spot on and I don’t think anyone should read it as a jab or slight against Makar. There’s a power that is granted with being a Norris winning, Conn Smythe champion so early in a career. It gives something of the benefit of a doubt for the foreseeable future.

I don’t think it would take too much for Makar to pull a Pronger. A McDavid injury and/or the Oilers failing to make the playoffs combined with a high seed for the Avs and Makar adding his name to the short list of defensemen who scored 100 points in a season would probably be enough to win him a Hart in any given season.

I think it’s possible before the decade closes out.

 

[Ceremony]

Multiple. I look forward to it.