The matter of the Hart
Matthews, McDavid go head to head in the MVP battle,
Usually, a mid-season game in February is just that, a mid-season game in February.
But when the Maple Leafs face the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night, so much more will be on the line. Bragging rights, of course. First place in the North Division after the three-game series. And the two early favourites for the Hart Trophy — the Oilers’ Connor McDavid and the Leafs’ Auston Matthews. This series offers the stars a chance to create some separation in the minds of the MVP voters.
Matthews is the league’s leading goal scorer, despite a sore wrist that has him officially listed as day to day. The injury kept him out of Friday’s practice. Matthews is one of the best puck possessors in the game, showing Sidney Crosby-like hustle in his own zone to get the puck back. His one-timer may have eclipsed Alex Ovechkin’s as the best in the league, and his shot in general may be the most dangerous.
“I played 20 years, and I have no idea how anybody can have a release like that,” former Leafs captain Doug Gilmour said. “It is totally amazing. His one-timer is great, but how quick he can shoot the puck … and he knows where it’s going.”
McDavid is the league’s leading points producer, the first to 40 this season. He might be the best skater the league has seen. And he has developed a biggame mentality that won’t allow another star player — particularly Matthews — to get too much of the spotlight.
McDavid had the season’s best goal on an end-to-end rush against Toronto, with all the attention that brings. When Matthews had a four-point night last weekend, McDavid went out and had a five-point night, including a natural hat trick.
“I’m motivated every night, I want to be the best I can be every single night,” McDavid said. “There are guys you watch, and compare yourself to. And when they’re doing well, you want to make sure you’re doing the same. But I’m a motivated guy.”
The comments Leafs teammates say about Matthews are echoed by the Oilers speaking about McDavid. Things like “he’s an elite player,” or “he’s the total package.”
If Matthews embodies the best traits of Crosby and Ovechkin, who are McDavid’s comparables? Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri?
“Connor’s stock has been really solid for a number of years in terms of what he brings,” said NHL analyst Brian Lawton, a former No. 1 pick. “The guy that really has stepped up and won over people is Auston, changing his conditioning.
“There are veterans around him saying: ‘Yeah, he’s good offensively, but he’s really good defensively.’ Things we’ve never heard before. He’s made huge leaps and bounds. Auston has found another level this year.”
Some years, it feels like the Hart is McDavid’s trophy to lose. At the very least, he is the bar for voters. Have a better year than him, or even come close, and the award could be yours. He missed seven games last year and still finished second in the scoring race, but voters went with teammate Leon Draisaitl, who was first. He led the league in scoring in 2018 and somehow finished fifth in voting, well behind Taylor Hall. McDavid has only won the award once, beating out Crosby in 2017, but he has been in the top five the last four seasons.
Matthews has done what it takes to join the Hart conversation this year. He’s projected by Sportlogiq to lead the league this season with 42 goals, based on how his shooting accuracy overperforms his own “expected goals” analytic. But the wrist injury could get in the way.
“It’s not going to be easy, but it’s not impossible,” Lawton said. “It gets a little bit harder when you find out he’s battling an injury. But that’s part of it. All the guys go through it. You’ve got to find a way if you want to be the MVP in this league.”
Ultimately, neither player may actually care. Winning games is more important than individual accomplishments, a truism for top athletes in any team sport.
“Their goal isn’t to win awards,” Lawton said. “I think it’s important to them to be the best players they can be. I think they’re doing that.”
There are other candidates, of course, including Draisaitl, who was second in points through Thursday’s games, and Mitch Marner, who was fifth. Some executives that talked to Pucks in Depth favour Marner over either Matthews or McDavid. But Marner and Draisaitl are observed by many as sidekicks to their superhero linemates, like Evgeni Malkin to Crosby or Nicklas Backstrom to Ovechkin.
“They don’t get overlooked inside these walls,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “We know what Mitch brings to our team, and how he makes people around him better. And Draisaitl, you feel his presence. He’s significant, obviously.
“But at the same time, Auston and Connor are world-class players, generational. They deserve the recognition.”