USA TODAY International Edition
MacKinnon a sleeper in battle for Hart Trophy
With five weeks remaining in the NHL regular season, plenty of unfinished business remains. Here are the top five story lines.
Follow your Hart: It feels as if Nikita Kucherov’s consistency makes him the favorite to win the Hart Trophy as league MVP.
But historically, players with late surges have left a major impression on voters. Remember Corey Perry scoring 19 goals in his last 16 games and winning the Hart in 2011?
Keep an eye on Nathan MacKinnon, whose 1.36 points per game average (76 points in 56 games going into Sunday) leads the NHL. He has carried the surprising Colorado Avalanche, who are one point out of playoff spot.
Don’t ignore Taylor Hall’s work in spearheading the New Jersey Devils’ turnaround.
How about Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler as a sleeper?
Evgeni Malkin and Claude Giroux also deserve consideration.
Ovechkin adds another 50? With 40 goals in 65 games, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has a shot for his eighth 50-goal season.
Ovechkin’s scoring rate is remarkable given how challenging it is to score in this era. He needs 10 goals in 17 games to hit 50. That would be highly unlikely for anyone other than Ovechkin, who has a history of going on scoring binges.
He also needs two goals to reach the 600 level for his NHL career.
Unsettled West: As of Sunday morning, the Anaheim Ducks, with 76 points, own the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Avalanche (75), St. Louis Blues (75) and Calgary Flames (73) follow.
The San Jose Sharks (79) and Los Angeles Kings (77) are second and third, respectively, in the Pacific Division going into Sunday, and they aren’t safe either. The Central Division’s Minnesota Wild (79) could also be vulnerable, although they shouldn’t be based on talent.
Panthers’ playoff push: The Florida Panthers have gone 12-3-0 since the AllStar break to barge into playoff contention. They were one point out going into Sunday.
There are plenty of reasons to believe they will make it, which leaves the Columbus Blue Jackets vulnerable to missing the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. The Carolina Hurricanes are in danger of missing the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.
Key for the Panthers? Goalie Roberto Luongo: Since coming back from injury, he’s 5-1 with a .927 save percentage.
Dahlin sweepstakes: For most of the season, the Arizona Coyotes looked as if they would enjoy the best odds of landing Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, considered a generational talent. He is certain to be the No. 1 draft pick.
But an odd situation is developing. The Coyotes have been winning at an alarming rate. They are on an 8-2-1 run. No other team in the bottom 10 has won more than four games in their past 10.
The worst record only guarantees a top-four pick, but that is important in this year’s draft, which boasts several potential impact players. The Coyotes and Buffalo Sabres are the top contenders in the worst-record chase, but the Ottawa Senators are a possibility.