NHL announces Hart Trophy finalists

The Hart Memorial Trophy is an annual award for the most valuable player to his team in the National Hockey League. It is voted by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The original trophy was donated to the league in 1923 by David Hart, the father of Cecil Hart, the longtime head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.

The NHL announced this year's finalists this morning:

Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, who already won the 2021-22 Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's top scorer, also had career highs in goals with 44, assists with 79 and points with 123 in 80 games played. The reigning Hart Trophy winner found the scoresheet in 63 of his 80 games (78.8%) and never went more than three games without a point this season. McDavid is a Hart Trophy finalist for the fourth time after also winning it in 2017 and finishing third in voting in 2019. The Oilers' superstar is aiming to become just the ninth player in NHL history to take home the award at least three times.

Igor Shesterkin, goaltender of the New York Rangers, also (a finalist for the 2021-22 Vezina Trophy), finished with a record of 36-13-4 record, and had a 2.07 goals-against-average, .935 save percentage and six shutouts in 53 appearances to help the Rangers finish second in the Metropolitan Division with 110 points. He led the NHL in both goals-against-average and save percentage and posted the seventh-highest save percentage in NHL history. This is Shesterkin's first time as a Hart Trophy finalist.

Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs also captured the 2021-22 Maurice «Rocket» Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal-scorer. The centre posted career highs in goals with 60, assists with 46 and points with 106 in just 73 games played. He helped lead the Leafs to franchise records for wins (54) and points (115) in a season. Matthews became just the 21st different player in NHL history, and first in a decade, to register 60 goals in a season, the first time since Steven Stamkos in 2011-12. He is a Hart Trophy finalist for the second straight year after finishing second in voting in 2020-21.

Auston Matthews is probably the favourite to win the award, but McDavid and Shesterkin almost have better cases for what the award represents. There's a valid argument that the Toronto Maple Leafs still make the postseason without Matthews in the lineup, but it would be a much different case for the Edmonton Oilers or New York Rangers with their MVPs.

That point is even more apparent in the playoffs, as the Rangers have been dominated by the Pittsburgh Penguins in any off game by Igor Shesterkin so far in their series.

MY PICK: Igor Shesterkin