Did you really expect anything different?
Who You’d Expect: Crosby, Ovechkin, H. Sedin Named Hart Trophy Finalists
Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Henrik Sedin are the three finalists for the 2010 Hart Trophy, awarded each year to the player most valuable to his team. It’s no surprise that hockey writers, the group of folks that write these things, enjoy scoring. This just sets it in stone.
Was Ryan Miller snubbed? You could make a very strong case that, without Miller, the Buffalo Sabres may not have even made the playoffs. Former SBN Hockey chief and current Maple Leafs beat reporter James Mirtle explained the case for and against Miller Thursday morning on Twitter:
Hart finalists are Crosby, Ovechkin and Sedin. High scoring forwards always get the love there. I wanted to see Miller at least nominated.
Several voters said they don't feel goalies should be up for the Hart given they have the Vezina. But look at all the hardware for forwards.
My ballot was Sedin - Miller - Crosby - Ovechkin - Bryzgalov. I imagine those five got most of the support, albeit in a different order.
Nevertheless, Sedin, Ovechkin and Crosby are your nominees. Let’s take a look at the accolades of each finalist.
SIDNEY CROSBY, Pittsburgh Penguins
109 points, a league-leading 51 goals (tied with Steven Stamkos), 58 assists.
He’s 100-percent, without a doubt, the most valuable player on the Pittsburgh Penguins. For a team vying for their third-straight Stanley Cup Finals appearance, not naming Crosby as a finalist for the Hart would’ve been a mortal sin.
But, according to SBN’s Pensburgh, it was the way Crosby filled in for another struggling star on his own team that made him stand out the most this year:
Crosby tied for the league lead in goals (with Tampa's Steven Stamkos), led the league in hat tricks (3), was the best player in the shootout (8 for 10), took and won the most faceoffs of anyone. In a year when Evgeni Malkin was inconsistent and injured, Crosby stepped up, took all questions of a Stanley Cup hangover and put the team on his back, taking them solidly into the playoffs.
ALEX OVECHKIN, Washington Capitals
Like Crosby, Alex Ovechkin is the heart and soul of the Washington Capitals. He’s exciting, he scores in bunches -- 50 goals, 59 assists, 109 points -- and he’s physically demanding to play against. Without Ovechkin, the Caps wouldn’t have won the President’s Trophy. They wouldn’t have won the Eastern Conference race by a staggering 18 points. Who knows where the Caps would be without number 8?
HENRIK SEDIN, Vancouver Canucks
It’s safe to say that, for those of us on the East Coast, Henrik Sedin kind of goes unnoticed. We’re sleeping when he’s playing most of his games, he plays in a Western Canadian market, and he has a twin who plays on his line. Pardon us for not noticing his prowess more often.
But this year, it was hard to miss Henrik. He led the NHL in points with 112, winning the Art Ross Trophy for the first time in his career. He did it without his sidekick, brother Daniel, for 19 games, too. He’s not much of a goal scorer compared to his Hart challengers, but his 83 assists prove how valuable he is to the Canucks. It’s safe to say that without Sedin, the Canucks might not have done much this season.
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