Maple Leafs sensation Auston Matthews is currently dominating the ice. However, the likelihood of him clinching a second Hart Trophy seems slim.
It’s relatively straightforward to suggest Auston Matthews as a potential Hart Trophy winner. Just consider his current pace of around 75 goals, his exceptional two-way play, and, well, his pace of about 75 goals. It’s akin to the sentiment surrounding Christine Sinclair, who made the most difficult aspects of the sport seem effortless. Matthews is making goal-scoring appear as effortless as nearly anyone ever has.
However, asserting that he will win the Hart Trophy is more challenging, especially in February amidst the era of Connor McDavid and others. Nikita Kucherov is keeping the Tampa Bay Lightning competitive, Nathan MacKinnon is a force to be reckoned with, and McDavid has been his usual dominant self despite early-season injuries. Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes and Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck also warrant consideration. As of Tuesday night, Matthews ranked seventh in points, trailing Kucherov and MacKinnon by 21 and 18, respectively. None of these contenders show signs of slowing down.
If voting were to take place today, Matthews would undoubtedly rank among the top two candidates. His Hart Trophy win in 2021-22 was well-deserved yet somewhat underrated, even amidst Toronto’s spotlight. Over the past four years, McDavid has solidified his status as a premier player, amassing over 100 more points than the next-highest scorer not on the Oilers. If McDavid were to win again this year, it would mark his third Hart Trophy in four seasons, with Matthews likely finishing second.
Matthews previously won the Hart with the NHL’s first 60-goal season in a decade, while McDavid led the league in points. McDavid’s subsequent win was partly attributed to his efforts to outscore Matthews, which he achieved with 64 goals.
Now, Matthews is on track for about 75 goals, a feat not seen since Alexander Mogilny and Teemu Selanne each scored 76 in 1992-93. Adjusting for scoring fluctuations, Matthews’s projected 74 goals would rank as the second-greatest goal-scoring season in history, behind only Brett Hull’s adjusted 78 in 1990-91.
Commentator Ray Ferraro highlights Matthews’s diversified scoring methods, emphasizing the expectation of his presence in every box score. Additionally, arguments against Matthews, such as the notion of “empty-calorie” goals, are easily countered, as he consistently scores crucial goals that impact the game’s outcome.
