Hart 2015 Finalists

[SpinningEdge]

I think this is the perfect year to have co-MVP's again

Both the Caps and Canadians are NOT playoffs teams without their star players. Price had really bad offensive production and went 3 months having a .950 save percentage. Ovi has zero secondary goal scoring (seriously, when your 2nd best goal scorer on your team is Brouwer and Ward - that's really not good). He still had almost 30 goals in a span of 30 games in one point of the season.

What player is most valuable to their team is the question? That's really tough b/c both teams are lottery teams without both their top players playing at a elite level.

Co-MVP. Both Price and Ovi deserve it. If no co-MVP, even as a Caps fan I'd give the slightest of edge to Price just b/c of stats. Ovi had a great goal scoring year, but not a legendary scoring year. Price had a legendary type season. Both were equal in value to their teams success IMO though, which is why I think a co-MVP is very fair.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Price > Ovi > JT for the Hart.

However, I could see Ovi winning the Lindsay. He was fantastic all around this year. Destroys the competition in goals, is a top 10 hitter in the NHL unlike most superstars and has improved a ton defensively.

 

[SpinningEdge]

One other thing....

If Price does not win the MVP this year after putting up the numbers he did (#1 wins, #1 GAA, #2 Shutouts), while playing for a team that is #20 in goals for... which still won the division with 110 points - AND loses to a player that has 81 points on the season.... then a goaltender ever winning the Hart is basically impossible, haha.

 

[KingPuckChoo]

Carey Price by a mile

signed

A Hater.

 

[islandermaniac]

backstrom didnt even score a goal in the final 21 games

Meh...who cares? If you were building a team, would you build it around ovechkin or backstrom? Many people would pick backstrom (especially anyone who watched the caps-isles series).

 

[hockeykicker]

Meh...who cares? If you were building a team, would you build it around ovechkin or backstrom? Many people would pick backstrom (especially anyone who watched the caps-isles series).

Many people would choose backstrom? You have a guy who scored 50 goals 6 times with numerous mvp's and your gonna choose backstrom?

 

[Plural]

Honestly think Backstrom is more valuable to the caps than Ovie.

Well, he's not.

I like the finalists and was expecting this outcome. I'm kind of sold on the idea that Price will win it. Tavares and Ovechkin battle out the 2nd spot and I could see it going either way.

Lindsay will be more interesting. I would not be completely baffled to see Crosby win it.

 

[Proust*]

No Jared Cowen??

 

[Plural]

I disagree.

http://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/voting-1997.html#hart

You really comparing Hasek from that year to Price this year?

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Points per game?

Honestly think Backstrom is more valuable to the caps than Ovie.

PPG is misused here. Basically, you are crediting Crosby with points that he did not scored because he was sick/skipped the ASG.

By the way, I'm one of the biggest Backstrom fans on this website, but Ovechkin has always been the Caps' MVP.

Basically, Backstrom is Robin and Ovechkin is Batman. They need each other, but one is more important than the other.

 

[Oil Spill]

One other thing....

If Price does not win the MVP this year after putting up the numbers he did (#1 wins, #1 GAA, #2 Shutouts), while playing for a team that is #20 in goals for... which still won the division with 110 points - AND loses to a player that has 81 points on the season.... then a goaltender ever winning the Hart is basically impossible, haha.

Goalies have won the Hart before.

 

[Dick Whitman]

You really comparing Hasek from that year to Price this year?

So you're saying that the hockey writers are only biased when it's a 'close' race? Ovi's 80-something points vs. Price's year is not close, just as Hasek's year vs. Kariya's 99 points or Mario's 120 points wasn't close.

 

[Dick Whitman]

No Jared Cowen??

You know how you can tell that Jared Cowen is an athlete? He has a sports hernia.

 

[Wrath]

So you're saying that the hockey writers are only biased when it's a 'close' race? Ovi's 80-something points vs. Price's year is not close, just as Hasek's year vs. Kariya's 99 points or Mario's 120 points wasn't close.

He's saying that Hasek's 97 season was far more impressive compared to the rest of the top goaltenders in the league compared to Price this season.


That said, I do agree that Ovi and Tavares (and Crosby, Benn, etc.) were all less impressive than both Mario and Kariya in 1997 too, and thus Price should still win it in a landslide.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Meh...who cares? If you were building a team, would you build it around ovechkin or backstrom? Many people would pick backstrom (especially anyone who watched the caps-isles series).

Uhm, no. A GM that picks Backstrom over Ovechkin to start his franchise would get fired on the spot.

Backstrom had a better performance in the series against the Isles (thank God), but Ovechkin has been better for every other series they played together.

It's obvious to Caps fans who watched all the games in both players' careers.

 

[Dick Whitman]

He's saying that Hasek's 97 season was far more impressive compared to the rest of the top goaltenders in the league compared to Price this season.


That said, I do agree that Ovi and Tavares (and Crosby, Benn, etc.) were all less impressive than both Mario and Kariya in 1997 too, and thus Price should still win it in a landslide.

Statistically, Brodeur had a similar year. The team in front of them was the difference. Hasek literally (figuratively) had human garbage playing in front of him while Brodeur had a cup contending team. Brodeur finished 4th in voting.

 

[Plural]

So you're saying that the hockey writers are only biased when it's a 'close' race? Ovi's 80-something points vs. Price's year is not close, just as Hasek's year vs. Kariya's 99 points or Mario's 120 points wasn't close.

No. I'm not saying they are biased towards nationality at all. I just think that Hasek's year was better than Price's year. I still think Price will win and he should. I just disagree with the example you made.

 

[Dick Whitman]

No. I'm not saying they are biased towards nationality at all. I just think that Hasek's year was better than Price's year. I still think Price will win and he should. I just disagree with the example you made.

My bad. I thought you were the poster who I had originally responded to.

He/She openly wondered if Varlamov had Price's numbers and Crosby had Ovi's numbers, who would win.

 

[Plural]

My bad. I thought you were the poster who I had originally responded to.

He/She openly wondered if Varlamov had Price's numbers and Crosby had Ovi's numbers, who would win.

No problem dude. In this day and age, when someone tries to say there is some agenda against certain nationalities in the NHL, you might as well just ignore it. It's a weak excuse that is made when nothing else fits your narrative.

Also, I don't think there was that huge difference between Price and Hasek those years. Hasek was still better. But what Price has done this year is nothing short of amazing.

 

[kihei]

Carey Price for me. And pretty clear cut, too.

 

[DieByTheShield]

Price is the clear favorite, but I would like to see JT get some consideration. The way he elevates the play of his teammates around him is astounding and clearly noticeable on the ice. This is coming from a Ranger fan.

 

[Lollipop]

When even so called Caps fans put down Backstrom to hype their almighty Ovechkin then BACKSTROM REALLY IS UNDERRATED!!!

 

[Fallschirmyager]

Expect Ovie to be left out of every Montreal journalist ballot.

If that happens then they've proven a total lack of integrity and shouldn't be allowed to vote again.

Fortunately I don't believe it will matter this year even if they did. I wouldn't be pissed if Ovechkin won but I don't think he will.

 

[FinProspects]

Has it ever happened (probably has) that the top3 nominees wont end up as top3 in the voting?

 

[Fantomas]

Meh...who cares? If you were building a team, would you build it around ovechkin or backstrom? Many people would pick backstrom (especially anyone who watched the caps-isles series).

Bull. Crap.