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Give The Hart To Iginla
by Paul on 03/23/08 at 09:50 PM ET
Comments (6)
from Ross McKeon of Yahoo,
People in Washington and Pittsburgh won’t like to hear this, but if the season were to end today, Jarome Iginla is the league’s most valuable player.
The Hart Trophy race has never been so hotly contested. The competition is very much a reflection of close races, parity throughout the NHL and certainly a trickle-down effect of what a salary-cap system means to the league overall.
But the 30-year-old Edmonton native, who captains the provincial rival Calgary Flames, is the choice. He may not have as many goals and not as many points as others, but Iginla is the living, breathing, skating definition of the award: the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Jarome+Iginla,
Comments
Dammit, my long-winded (but brilliant) rebuttal appears to have disappeared into the ether. Maybe I tempted fate by using the preview option more than once.
Here’s a tip, people. Copy your post contents to the clipboard before hitting the ‘Submit’ button!
Posted by shep from california on 03/24/08 at 01:21 AM ET
Whether or not Washington makes it to the postseason AO needs to win the MVP, and it really shouldn’t even be remotely close.
The Caps have next to no talent other than Ovechkin and have gotten atrocious goaltending pretty much all year long, save for the short time Huet’s been there… and they are right on the cusp of the playoffs.
Posted by HockeyinHD on 03/24/08 at 06:34 AM ET
You don’t GIVE the Hart Trophy to anyone. Its earned, and if you feel the need to take it away from its rightful winner because his team might miss the playoffs by a point...well that seems silly.
Look at his stats. He leads the league in almost everything. But its not even that...he has lead a team from 6-14-1 to the point where the team has a chance to earn a playoff spot in the last week of the season.
He is the Art Ross winner, Rocket Richard winner (christ he is the first to hit 60 in 12 years), GW Goals, 45% of all goals, top 10 in hits in the entire NHL...Pearson winner, and he will be the Hart Trophy winner as well. Hockey is a team game, the Hart is an individual award.
Posted by Matt on 03/24/08 at 07:22 AM ET
I don’t know how many people caught the post-game interview Saturday night, but Iggy was asked point-blank who he thought should win the Hart. He said Ovechkin, but added the qualifier “if the Caps make the playoffs”.
Don’t think he doesn’t remember how he got shafted back in 2002 when a Montreal writer left his name completely off the ballot which enabled Jose Theodore to take home the Hart.
Posted by dash_pinched on 03/24/08 at 09:02 AM ET
If the Caps don’t make the playoffs he can’t win it.
Think about it.
“Most Valuable Player”
If they miss the playoffs how valuable could he have been to his team?
Don’t get me wrong, he is a fabulous player. But they have awards for players that rack up the points.
MVP isn’t about who racks up the points.
Consider this, where would Calgary be without IGGY? Your answer should include playing golf with Edmonton.
Posted by Laker from dapuddle on 03/24/08 at 10:13 AM ET
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I hate the flamers and I agree. Iggy should win it.
Ovechkin can’t win it cause the Caps aren’t even going to get into the playoffs. How valuable can he be if he can’t even get them into the playoffs?
Crosby? Pittsburgh plays better without him. Check the stats, it’s true. (can’t figure out how/why though)
Malkin? Nah. But close.
Posted by Laker from dapuddle on 03/23/08 at 11:50 PM ET