Any Chance Kopitar Wins the Hart?

[DitchMarner]

He's third in scoring and has a +16 rating in 31 games so far. His team is leading the Pacific division and has won eight straight games.

Kopitar has never finished in the top ten for points. Could 2017-2018 be the best season of his career?

Click to read more...

 

[tny760]

he has a penchant for scoring slumps so don't get too far ahead of yourself. he's off to a great start and it's really nice to see after last season but personally i'm leaving it at that.

 

[rent free]

he'll be a top-10 guy for sure imo, but he may not win it.

 

[The Macho King]

He's third in scoring and has a +16 rating in 31 games so far. His team is leading the Pacific division and has won eight straight games.

Kopitar has never finished in the top ten for points. Could 2017-2018 be the best season of his career?

As of right now, there's a ton of competition and I don't know if he comes out on top. But a first 35% of the season finalist? He's certainly in the discussion.

Also I get the feeling Stamkos and Kucherov are going to steal votes from each other.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Likely zero chance

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I'm a big Kopitar fan but it's unlikely. Doughty is a huge part of that team's success too so it splits the credit.

 

[GMofOilers]

I'm a big Kopitar fan but it's unlikely. Doughty is a huge part of that team's success too so it splits the credit.

Don’t forget Quick

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Don’t forget Quick

Agreed.

I think Quick's contributions to their success are somewhat underrated, though I my view may be colored by how little credit he seems to get on this forum.

 

[Osprey]

If he keeps this up, he'll have a chance... but, as a poster alluded to above, he's gone through a major scoring slump basically every season that he's been in the league. Being over a point per game during the season is definitely not new for him... yet he's never once ended the season over a point per game. It's certainly possible that this is the year that he finally does it, but it's also early... and that still doesn't necessarily get him into Hart consideration.

If we change the subject to the Selke, that's a much stronger case. A lot of his stats (so far) are even better than the year that he did win that. Besides points and +/- being ahead of that year's pace, his FOW% is 0.5% better and he's playing over a 1 minute more per game. His Corsi is a lot lower (along with everyone else's on the team, likely thanks to Stevens' more offensive system), though, so that could hurt him, but it could be close between him and Bergeron... again.

 

[Little Psycho]

Agreed.

I think Quick's contributions to their success are somewhat underrated, though I my view may be colored by how little credit he seems to get on this forum.

Most of HF doesn't like Quick, he is underrated around here.

To answer OP's question, I don't think he will. He will slow down a bit, he tends to go on some pointless streaks. He has a better chance of winning the Selke.

 

[Sol]

Kopitar is doing phenomenal. He has a good chance.

 

[maacoshark]

Don’t forget Quick

I think the Kings season has a lot less to do with Quick than you think. This is a team that plays an excellent defensive game. This is more about the system than Quick. As for Kopitar winning the hart. I think he has been the best player in the NHL so far. He is not only scoring but also shutting down other teams top scorers. Hands down the best 2way player right now. I doubt he will win the award because he isn't as flashy as some other players. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins the selke instead.

 

[GMofOilers]

I think the Kings season has a lot less to do with Quick than you think. This is a team that plays an excellent defensive game. This is more about the system than Quick. As for Kopitar winning the hart. I think he has been the best player in the NHL so far. He is not only scoring but also shutting down other teams top scorers. Hands down the best 2way player right now. I doubt he will win the award because he isn't as flashy as some other players. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins the selke instead.

They didn’t even make the playoffs without Quick.

I would say he’s a huge part of the team.

 

[maacoshark]

They used a nobody goalie in Peter Budaj and his numbers were excellent. Better than Quick numbers. The team didn't miss the playoffs because of goaltending or defense. They couldn't score. Your argument doesn't hold water. Unless Quick was scoring for them too.

 

[tny760]

I think the Kings season has a lot less to do with Quick than you think. This is a team that plays an excellent defensive game. This is more about the system than Quick. As for Kopitar winning the hart. I think he has been the best player in the NHL so far. He is not only scoring but also shutting down other teams top scorers. Hands down the best 2way player right now. I doubt he will win the award because he isn't as flashy as some other players. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins the selke instead.

you watched any kings games this season? generally there's 3 to 4 breakdowns leading to grade A chances against him and he makes circus saves like it's nothing. this team would be struggling if not for him and these winning streaks would not happen

 

[Fire Benning]

He probably won't but he's got my vote. Producing most of LA's offense, definitely the Kings best player.

 

[TwzKing]

Quick is the heart of the kings, anyone that watches any amount of there games knows this.

 

[maacoshark]

Quick is the heart of the kings, anyone that watches any amount of there games knows this.

He isn't the difference maker on this team. I'm not saying he is a terrible goalie. But this us Kopitars team.

 

[MacDonald4MVP]

He's got about the same chance as Weber did winning norris last year.

 

[613Leafer]

2007-2008 & 2008-2009 Datsyuk had back-to-back 97 point seasons where he won the Selke both years and came 4th in league scoring both years.

He came 9th in Hart voting in 2008, and a very distant 3rd in 2009 (Ovechkin had 1264 points from voting, Datsyuk had 404).

The Hart Trophy has also exclusively gone to Art Ross or Rocket Richard trophy winners since the 2004 lockout, except one year where a goalie (Price) won it. So I doubt Kopitar has a legit chance. The voters like offence.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Doubtful... right now its 1 of the tampa players to lose.

Not that kopitar doesn't deserve it, or to be recognized. If they had conference MVPS hed be the front runner on that.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Doubtful... right now its 1 of the tampa players to lose.

Not that kopitar doesn't deserve it, or to be recognized. If they had conference MVPS hed be the front runner on that.

I don't think he'll win it, but that's part of his case, IMO. Stamkos and Kucherov have 42 and 41 points; the dropoff from Kopitar to Brown is 38 to 26 (Doughty at 24). He's also doing that with much heavier minutes/deployment, as Stamkos-Namestnikov-Kucherov have a zone start ratio relative of 12.5-13.5%, tops amongst TB forwards, while Kopitar is at -3.7, only surpassed by the "defense-only "players in Shore-Lewis-Mitchell. Stamkos and Kucherov also literally do not penalty kill and have the most PP toi on the lightning, whereas Kopitar leads the Kings forwards in both (though it can be argued those are two sides of the same coin since the TBL pair are powering that PP to the top of the league and Kopitar is helping the Kings PK be tops as well). And Kopitar is 2nd in the entire NHL in TOI. He's mr. do-it-all and crushing it at a super high level in every way. I think all of that keeps it closer than it seems.

Similarly, their d-men are elite and their goalies are cleaning up; I think there are a lot of comparables in both scenarios as they're backed by Norris candidates and Vezina candidates.

Edit: also lol what a time for the "Jonathan Quick is overrated" meme for that one poster, man you couldn't possibly out yourself more as having not watched the Kings this year

 

[JKG33]

Quick and Doughty being in the race for the Vezina and Norris trophies probably hurt Kopitar's chances at the Hart. But if he can keep it up all year and the Tampa guys cool down a bit he'll definitely be in the conversation.

 

[PunkRockLocke]

I think Kopitar is still underrated league wide. Here at least. And that's saying something, because he does get some praise. He's always been one my favorites, the guy is incredible. Last year was rough points wise, but he's showing that was an anomaly.

He is easily in the discussion for the Hart right now, likely a top 5 finisher. End of the season? Hard to say right now, but it's totally possible and players of his style should get more consideration. I hope he does.

I wonder what all the voters that had already penned in McDavid for the Hart will do when the Oilers miss the playoffs...scramble and give it to one of Stamkos or Kucherov

 

[kilowatt]

We’re not even 50% of the way through the season, so this is just wild speculation. But at the moment, there’s a legitimate case for Kopitar to win the Hart and Selke, Doughty to win the Norris, and Quick to win the Vezina.

So the Kings will probably have a horrible second half and miss the playoffs.