Hart trophy finalists

[Rex Racer]

Do you mean there are 7 guys between .923 and .932? I count 5. Also, Price faced more shots than all five of them except for Holtby (who had the lowest sv% of those at .923). Without Price, Montreal is likely a wild card at best, and maybe even more likely on the outside looking in.

Also worth mentioning that many of Price's worst performances of the season came after the Habs had clinched a playoff spot.

He's the MVP.

Do the Isles even sniff the playoffs without Tavares?

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

One of the big reasons Price is at the top of the list - besides his outstanding season - is the fact that it was really a pretty mediocre season for forwards.

Obviously points aren't everything, but the Art Ross winner having 87 points is the lowest total since 1968 (non shortened season) when 87 was hit in a 74 game season.

Even if you want the trophy to be heavily biased towards skaters - which I think it is - this was a season in which no skater really stood out from the pack at all.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Do the Isles even sniff the playoffs without Tavares?

Probably not, but while JT would've been a huge reason for that the Isles also couldn't keep the puck out of the net.

I read somewhere that Price was good for preventing 36 goals a league-average goaltender would've let in this season. That would've taken Montreal from first in GA to 19th, tied with Vancouver and lower than any other team that made the playoffs in the east except for the Isles.

There's an argument for JT, I just think there's a far better one for Price.

 

[Puck082]

There's an argument for JT, I just think there's a far better one for Price.

Yep - I agree. JT's time will come...

 

[Rex Racer]

Probably not, but while JT would've been a huge reason for that the Isles also couldn't keep the puck out of the net.

I read somewhere that Price was good for preventing 36 goals a league-average goaltender would've let in this season. That would've taken Montreal from first in GA to 19th, tied with Vancouver and lower than any other team that made the playoffs in the east except for the Isles.

There's an argument for JT, I just think there's a far better one for Price.

Fair enough.

 

[apachef4]

I think Ovechkin should win because I am a Caps fan. Therefor, Price and JT are obviously unworthy and anyone that disagrees is insane.

Seriously, though, I can't complain no matter who wins. I tend to lean towards the non-goalie argument for Hart (and non-pitcher for Cy Young), but Price was the obvious best goalie this season. Tavares had a great season as well and carried the Isles scoring. I'll be rooting for OV to win, but I'm ok with any of them.

 

[ritari330]

If OV wins it, great. If he doesn't, oh well. Feel like that's his mentality at this point too. Focused on another piece of silverware...

 

[Cobiemonster]

I have a hard time with goalies being nominated for and/or winning this award.

The best goalie is typically about 1% better (if that) than the next several guys. Price has 7 guys within 1% of his save percentage this year. So basically if Holtby, Rinne, or Mason played for the Habs, their season would be unlikely to be significantly different than the one they played. It's not insignificant because that difference is about 1 less goal allowed every 3 or 4 games, but it's not overwhelming either.

By comparison, Ovechkin had 23% more goals than Stamkos, the 2nd place guy. Tavares has 12% more points than the 8th place guy on that list. Those are more sizable differences.

This is why the cap space used for and thinking on goalies has shifted in recent years. Because (sorry 43 and Matty) they don't matter as much since the difference between the best goalie and an average goalie is small. Whereas the difference between a top forward and your average forward is tremendous.

I wish they'd nominate more than three - Crosby and Voracek are certainly deserving this year.

These are all fair points, but I don't think it's about the difference between the best goalie and let's say, the 10th best goalie in the league

It's about the teams they're on and what would happen if they weren't on those teams - if Carey Price wasn't the goalie for Montreal, they definitely wouldn't be as good - certain goalies are on teams that have way more offense but their numbers may or may not be as good as him - to do what Carey Price did when you don't have the offense to back you up is pretty outstanding because the pressure is on every night to not give up more than two goals

And yes, it would be nice to see guys like Jake Voracek get nominated, but at the same time, it would feel watered down - if they really deserved it they'd be in the top three - the top three this year are the best

 

[dash]

OV will likely finish second because a Montreal based voter will leave him completely off his ballot.

/Yup, still bitter from 2002.

 

[apachef4]

I think Ovechkin should win because I am a Caps fan. Therefor, Price and JT are obviously unworthy and anyone that disagrees is insane.

Seriously, though, I can't complain no matter who wins. I tend to lean towards the non-goalie argument for Hart (and non-pitcher for Cy Young), but Price was the obvious best goalie this season. Tavares had a great season as well and carried the Isles scoring. I'll be rooting for OV to win, but I'm ok with any of them.

Woah, I meant non-pitcher for MVP. I do believe only a pitcher should win the Cy Young.

 

[forty_three]

These are all fair points, but I don't think it's about the difference between the best goalie and let's say, the 10th best goalie in the league

It's about the teams they're on and what would happen if they weren't on those teams - if Carey Price wasn't the goalie for Montreal, they definitely wouldn't be as good - certain goalies are on teams that have way more offense but their numbers may or may not be as good as him - to do what Carey Price did when you don't have the offense to back you up is pretty outstanding because the pressure is on every night to not give up more than two goals

And yes, it would be nice to see guys like Jake Voracek get nominated, but at the same time, it would feel watered down - if they really deserved it they'd be in the top three - the top three this year are the best

Jake had an amazing season, and is deserving of every bit of the kudos he gets.

But I don't think he is head and shoulders more important to that team than Giroux is. And without Jake, the Flyers result doesn't change all that much, unfortunately. Without OV, JT and Carey those three teams' fortunes change dramatically.

I am fine with any of the three, but IMO in the spirit of how it's written Price would be my vote. JT second.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Jake had an amazing season, and is deserving of every bit of the kudos he gets.

But I don't think he is head and shoulders more important to that team than Giroux is. And without Jake, the Flyers result doesn't change all that much, unfortunately. Without OV, JT and Carey those three teams' fortunes change dramatically.

I am fine with any of the three, but IMO in the spirit of how it's written Price would be my vote. JT second.

That's my whole point, he had a great season but that's why I said that if you have more than three guys, it waters it down

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

It's about the teams they're on and what would happen if they weren't on those teams - if Carey Price wasn't the goalie for Montreal, they definitely wouldn't be as good - certain goalies are on teams that have way more offense but their numbers may or may not be as good as him - to do what Carey Price did when you don't have the offense to back you up is pretty outstanding because the pressure is on every night to not give up more than two goals

This.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

And quite basically, Jake doesn't get a nod because the Flyers missed the POs.

Like it or not, that seems to be a requirement.

 

[forty_three]

And quite basically, Jake doesn't get a nod because the Flyers missed the POs.

Like it or not, that seems to be a requirement.

See; Foligno, Nicholas

That dude defined "Most Valuable" this year. I hope he wins the Masterson.

 

[pixburgher66]

Normally I agree on the goalie winning thing, because they have their own award, hard to compare their 60 minutes a night to a guy with 25 max, etc. That said, I think Price is the exception this year. Whether you do the "most talented" or the "most important to their team" argument, I think Price wins. The Habs would've been lost without him.

 

[forty_three]

Normally I agree on the goalie winning thing, because they have their own award, hard to compare their 60 minutes a night to a guy with 25 max, etc. That said, I think Price is the exception this year. Whether you do the "most talented" or the "most important to their team" argument, I think Price wins. The Habs would've been lost without him.

Richard
Art Ross
Selke

 

[dash]

Would people be upset if Price won the Hart and OV or JT won the Lindsay because I think that's probably going to happen?

 

[pixburgher66]

Richard
Art Ross
Selke

Okay, then we can simply have a "best save percentage" "best GAA" award? Those aren't *technically* forward awards, they're skater awards. It's the same reasoning I question pitchers getting MVPs in baseball when the Cy Young exists (well, in that one it's also the every 5 day argument), just feels weird.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Here are Carey Price's stats compared to Cory Schneider who was on a significantly worse team. While Price is better it's not above and beyond better. This idea that the Montreal Canadiens are a bad team with a great goalie is silly in my opinion. Put Cory Schneider on the Canadiens and they still end up with a high seed in the playoffs.