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Toronto Maple Leafs center Austin Matthews, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid and New York Rangers goalkeeper Igor Shesterkin are finalists for the Hart 2021-22 trophy, which honors the NHL’s most valuable player. Winners of all NHL awards will be announced during the conference finals and the Stanley Cup finals later this postseason.
Matthews seems to be the first Maple Leaf to win the Hart Trophy since Ted Kennedy in 1955. Matthews scored 106 points (60 goals and 46 assists) and became the first player in a decade to score 60 goals in one season. The Maple Leafs center also broke Rick Valve’s record for a 54-goal franchise, while breaking Jimmy Carson’s record of 55 goals from an American-born player. M
Matthews finished second behind McDavid in the Hart Trophy poll a season ago.
Meanwhile, McDavid led the league with a new career high in points (123), while recording career highs in goals (44) and assists (79). This is the fourth time the Oilers have been finalists in the Hart Trophy. McDavid won the award in 2017 and 2021. He is aiming to become the ninth player in NHL history to win the award at least three times.
Shesterkin, who was also named the finalist of the Vezina Trophy as the best goalkeeper in the league, put together a historic season in which he set a record 36-13-4. The Rangers netmaster also scored 2.07 goals in the league against the average and 0.935 percent of saves throughout the 2021-22 campaign.
Shesterkin will be the first Ranger to win the Hart Trophy since Marc Messier in 1992. In addition, the Rangers star wants to become only the third goalkeeper to ever win an award in NHL history as he joins Montreal Canadiens goalkeepers Jose. Theodore (2002) and Carrie Price (2015).
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