7 Hart Trophy Candidates To Keep Your Eyes On As The Season Comes To An End

Alex Ovechkin won the Hart Trophy last season after going on fire in the second half of the season. He finished the year with more goals than any other player in the NHL,and despite an inconsistent first half, he deserved the Hart for his outstanding play in the second half that pulled the Capitals into the playoff race.

This season, Ovechkin is once again lighting the lamp more than any other player in the NHL and his name is popping up everywhere as a favorite to win the Hart this season. Ovi has skated in 67 games so far this season, and has managed to put the puck in the back of the net 46 times. He’s added 23 assists as well throughout the season giving him a grand total of 69 points.

The problem with Ovechkin (and the Capitals for that matter), is the 5-on-5 play. Ovechkin has a +/- of -31 this season, a dreadful stat to think about while voting for the best player in the league. We all know Ovechkin’s game isn’t an all around game that plays in both zones, but only really shines on the offensive side of the blue line. Can a Hart Trophy winner really finish the season with a +/- that bad?