What's the most prestigious individual award

[treple13]

Are we actually being serious in this thread or is this a incredibly thinly-veiled attempt at saying McDavid deserved the Hart?

Because Smythe and Hart are on a complete other level than the Lindsey in terms of prestige. And McDavid didn't deserve the Hart either.

 

[Stuzchuk]

The Norris has been that way for 30 years. The only time a shut down d-man has won it has been Langway I believe.

actually, I'm referring to the post Lidstrom era....

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

NHL/Sheraton Road Performer Award award winners at hockeydb.com

 

[nickdawg95]

to me, Smythe, Hart, Lindsay

EDIT: actually, removed the Norris from there, the Norris aint what it use to be, now it's more like the best Offensive DMan

funny. i wonder why karlsson doesn't have 4 norris trophies then ???

 

[Del Preston]

Bud Light Plus-Minus Award

 

[Hynh]

Historically it's the Hart since it is the oldest of the big 3. The Conn Smythe is great but winners like Ranford and Ward diminish it. The Lindsay is rapidly gaining ground because the media is actively devaluing the Hart by making both Kucherov and McDavid ineligible for it.

That said, since the media tells many people what to think, the Hart will continue to be highly regarded no matter who wins it or why.

Conn Smythe. Because it's the only trophy that guarantees that you also just won the most prestigious trophy in all of sports.

Tell that to Giguere.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

fan point of view: Hart
player point of view: likely the Lindsay since players vote on it

 

[Daximus]

The Lindsay isn’t remembered after you retire? I think you have hart and Lindsay backwards

Harts are generally held in higher regard.

 

[EdzosCrayon]

Lindsay, because individual players are awarded for individual talent, rather than held back by the team they play for

Agreed. If I was a player, the Smythe is the one I would want the most but from a fan perspective, I think the Lindsay puts the most emphasis on individual success rather than team success. As much as people consider the other two to be "individual" awards, the reality is that a certain degree of team success is a requirement of winning them, especially the Smythe. If your team doesn't make the SCF, you're not winning the Smythe. Similar situation with the Hart...if your team doesn't make the playoffs, good luck even getting nominated.

 

[kingsholygrail]

To me Ross and Rocket. They're factual.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Agreed. If I was a player, the Smythe is the one I would want the most but from a fan perspective, I think the Lindsay puts the most emphasis on individual success rather than team success. As much as people consider the other two to be "individual" awards, the reality is that a certain degree of team success is a requirement of winning them, especially the Smythe. If your team doesn't make the SCF, you're not winning the Smythe. Similar situation with the Hart...if your team doesn't make the playoffs, good luck even getting nominated.

yeah to add, players also tend to get disqualified for the Hart if their team is too good because then they're seen as getting too much help. It's still certainly a prestigious award, but I don't think it's as based on individual merits as the Lindsay.

I'm hoping the Hart doesn't turn into an award that is too heavily influenced by factors beyond a player's control. It's still supposed to be an individual award after all.

 

[djboos22]

Historically it's the Hart since it is the oldest of the big 3. The Conn Smythe is great but winners like Ranford and Ward diminish it. The Lindsay is rapidly gaining ground because the media is actively devaluing the Hart by making both Kucherov and McDavid ineligible for it.

That said, since the media tells many people what to think, the Hart will continue to be highly regarded no matter who wins it or why.


Tell that to Giguere.

I will appear biased, but curious why Ward “diminishes” the Smythe?

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Lindsay IMO.

The respect of your peers means more than anything

 

[Sam Spade]

I posted about this a bit in the McDavid trophy case thread but the most prestigious award is the Hart.

Check out player obits or bios who won the Hart and Lindsay and see which is listed first, if the Pearson/Lindsay is mentioned at all.

Players get bonus money based on winning Hart's not Lindsay's. It is the last award given out for a reason.

Hart
Smythe
Lindsay

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Art ross. It's the most exclusive trophy and has the highest percentage of its winners in the hof.

 

[Midnight Judges]

To me Ross and Rocket. They're factual.

Agreed. Hart and Smythe have serious problems:

The Hart is dumb because some voters think it cannot go to a player on a team that doesn't make the playoffs. It takes far more than the value of the best player in the world to make the playoffs though, so this logic basically means the voters don't comprehend the game.

The Smythe is dumb because it basically removes 96% of the players from consideration. Sometimes an inferior player wins just because the players on his team were better than the players on the other guy's team when they weren't even on the ice. That is arbitrary. The media goes for the best dumbed-down story line. The Smythe is cheap as far as individual awards go.

The Richard is strong. Goals scored. Plain and objective, and important.

The Art Ross is cheapened by arbitrary secondary assists, but still a good award. Would be more meaningful if it were just primary points.

That said, the Hart is still the most prestigious.

 

[Shakey Rustie]

Based off what the media throws in our faces, I'd have to say its playing for the Leafs.

 

[MettleMcOiler]

Hart is the more media driven award and popularized. Fans are not really voting for it unfortunately, it is the PHWA that make up there own rules in judging the award. They can literally change on how they pick it every year.

Ted Lindsay is the League players voting for the best of the best in the NHL. I think any player would want to strive for this award over the Hart. Respect from your peers seems to have more validation of your ability over the judgement of hockey writers.



Lindsay
Conn Smythe
Hart

 

[McNuge]

Conn Smythe - Best player when it matters
Lindsay - Best player in the league that year

Hart - Most valuable to his team

Sorry, but if a trophy is not able to be won by the best players because their team is too good (Malkin, Kucherov, Giroux, even though he was nominated he wasn't winning it) it doesn't mean that much too me.

 

[Zenos]

I will appear biased, but curious why Ward “diminishes” the Smythe?

he doesn't. What an absurd idea.

Same with Ranford. Ask Messier, Kurri, Lowe and the rest of the 1990 Oilers if Ranford's win diminishes the greatness of the Conn Smythe. I can guarantee they disagree.

 

[djboos22]

he doesn't. What an absurd idea.

Same with Ranford. Ask Messier, Kurri, Lowe and the rest of the 1990 Oilers if Ranford's win diminishes the greatness of the Con Smythe. I can guarantee they disagree.

Yea I mean career success shouldn’t come into play with the Smythe. All you have to do is look a what Ranford did to Boston that year to know he was deserving.

Game 1 3OT 50+ shots against allowing only 2 goals. For that era he shut the Bruins down.

 

[Axel]

Hart, Norris and Vezina are the most prestigious awards. I'm sure many on here will say Conn Smythe (sometimes won by lesser players who have great playoff runs) and Lindsay (might be most important to actual NHL players) but at the end of a career it's usually the first three that come to mind when evaluating a players career.

 

[djboos22]

For me it’s Smythe, Hart, and then Lindsey.

It’s a different story when you’re a player trying to shoulder a team into and through the playoffs in comparison to a player without that pressure.

With that being said, I know everyone competes at the same level for the most part, that’s just what I have seen.

Two examples that stick out - 05-06 Thornton won the Hart and Jagr won the Lindsey. What Thornton did that year was insane and I’m glad he got the Hart.

01-02 Theodore Hart and Iginla Lindsey. Possibly the most unpopular Hart winner, however, what he did with that team was impressive. Especially making the playoffs and winning a round.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

It’s always been the Hart, this year’s questionable (but fair) voting criteria aside.

 

[solidmotion]

definitely the hart, tho there have been a few questionable winners lately where the lindsay went to the better player: ovechkin 2010, crosby 2013