McDavid’s marvellous, but Crosby’s in control
Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid are duking it out for NHL supremacy.
The race, which will likely include the Art Ross and Hart trophies by season’s end, is too close to call, even if it likely favours the Pittsburgh captain.
McDavid has met the sky-high expectations for his sophomore season with the Edmonton Oilers, and is ranked first in NHL scoring with 39 points in 31 games. He’s gone from 1.07 points per game as a rookie to 1.26, his even-strength production (assists and points) spiking on a per-minute basis alongside his individual puck possession numbers (55 per cent).
The 19-year-old, who is one of the youngest players in the league, has been terrific. But Crosby is still tops, putting together a 2016 that’s without compare.
Since Jan. 1, Crosby has a leaguebest 90 points in only 67 games (1.34 per game), bettering the next closest player (Patrick Kane) by 12 points despite playing in six fewer games. He’s also No. 1 with 48 goals in that span, including a leagueleading 21 in 23 games.
ALL-STAR ALERT
They didn’t crack the top five in the first count of all-star voting, but these six players deserve votes: Devan Dubnyk: One could argue that Dubnyk, and not Carey Price, has been the league’s top goalie this season. The Minnesota Wild netminder tops the NHL with a .946 overall save percentage. Mark Scheifele: Scheifele’s production has spiked each season since he entered the league for good in 2013, from 34 points as a rookie to 61 last year. The Winnipeg Jets forward is on pace for a 15-point bump, with 28 points in 29 games. Nikita Kucherov: On track for career-highs in essentially every offensive category, Kucherov has mustered 13 goals and 30 points in 28 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brandon Saad: Saad has collected 22 points — all at even-strength — in 26 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Chad Johnson: The Calgary Flames expected a new No. 1 this season — just not this guy. A Calgary native, Johnson surged past Brian Elliott for top spot in the crease, boasting a 13-4-1 record, three shutouts, a .932 save percentage and a 1.98 goals-against average. Leon Draisaitl: The Edmonton Oilers’ 21-year-old already has a career-best 11 power-play points and 26 total points in 31 games.