Mid-Season NHL Awards

Hart Trophy

Sidney Crosby has 65 points in 45 games. Hate him as I may, there’s absolutely no denying his skill level. The 26 year old, former first round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins has been flying this season, and he’s done so without injury thus far.

When arguing for the sake of an argument with Penguins fans, the only reasonable argument that I’ve found when it comes to Crosby is bringing up his nagging injury issues that seem to plague him on a yearly basis. This season has been different… So far. Crosby has skated in all 45 of the Penguins games, more than he’s played in since 2009-2010.

Crosby has been as clutch as it gets in for the Pens and has 24 goals and 41 assists, good for 65 points, on the season. He’s tallied at least a point in 37 games this season, and has recorded multiple points in 19 games. Crosby’s +12 rating isn’t so bad either.

There’s no denying that the Penguins would be A-okay without their captain, but the way Crosby and Chris Kunitz have been able to put up points this season (whether they both deserve to be on Team Canada is a whole other story), the Penguins are soaring high in the battered Eastern Conference, and well on their way to what is likely to be the second season in a row with the number one seed going into the playoffs.