DID 100 ASSIST MILESTONE LOCK UP THE MVP FOR KUCHEROV?

Nikita Kucherov and Auston Matthews both had an opportunity to mark an incredible milestone in the final game of their regular season and while one player accomplished an extraordinary landmark, the other came oh so close. 7-Eleven That's Hockey's Gino Reda has more.

[@GWh135]

Yes. MacKinnon fans have no arguments left, Kucherov has proven to be the most valuable to his team out of anybody all year long.

[@GWh135]

Just to clarify, this wasn’t intended to be a diss to MacKinnon, he’s an amazing player too but I feel like Kuch has objectively proven to be the only one truly worthy of the Hart this year.

[@michaelsanterre8162]

@@GWh135 MacKinnon had a phenomenal season. Just not as phenomenal as Kucherov's.

[@GWh135]

@@michaelsanterre8162 I phrased my comment poorly, I should have said Kucherov is the most deserving, MacKinnon is definitely worthy, just not over Kuch this year

[@michaelsanterre8162]

@@GWh135 No, it got it, I was just agreeing with you :)

[@biffdanielson2820]

I'm a Mackinnon fan. There are many factors other than point production that need to be considered when awarding the Hart. Team success, positional success, and defensive prowess also need to be factored in. With that being said, I wouldn't be the least bit upset if Kuch won it.

[@markhillock6703]

Award is for the player most valuable to their team. That was undoubtedly Kucherov.

[@MikeHarvey-ol7xr]

Dear media: it's MVP for this season, not the Nathan MacKinnon Lifetime Achievement Award.

[@user-vb1jl6og6b]

Пусть сделают его почётным жителям Денвера если уж так сильно хотят его хоть чем нибудь наградить😂

[@debr4265]

i just listened to the athletic podcast and boy they are so clueless it's absurd.. and they somehow have a vote.. Nobody has been more valuable to his team than kucherov. So tired of people discreting him and he still proves them wrong

[@Nikita-fy1hj]

Nikita Kucherov - MVP! The Best!

[@CoasterCheetah]

Kuch is MVP

[@Renegade322]

Does it? No. Should it? Probably yes. I still think Kucherov, or matthews should get it. The fact kucherov is involved in like 50% of all goals for the lightning is insane. But people are still going to pick mackinnon because of the eye test, not the amount of actual value they have given his team.

[@tobinkern5389]

Im still confused why people think Matthews belongs anywhere near the MVP race. Matthews has 18 more goals than MacKinnon but also has 30 fewer points? Thats not a valuable to the TEAM stats. That means matthews has less than half the assists as mackinnon and 60% less than kuch. Its a 2 horse race for Hart. Matthews is on the donkey in the back of the race

[@Renegade322]

@@tobinkern5389 its how you value assists, and primary points also defensive contributions.

[@CanadianBongRipper]

@@Renegade322 primary points are stupid. Mcdavid could go coast to coast, deke through everybody, pass it to Draisaitl who one times it, save, rebound Hyman puts it in. Mcdavid made the play happen even tho he has a ''secondary assist''

[@danmac9336]

If so every voter should have their vote stripped

[@danmac9336]

​@@Renegade322Kucherov had over 60 primary assists and was involved in 50 % of TBs goals everyone else should be fighting for second if not strip away voters rights to vote

[@louiemanousiades9309]

The Tampa Bay Lightning team has been depleted of its playoff vet Stanley Cup depth, Maroon Kilhorn Colton Perry Gourde Goodrow McDonough Bogosian Coleman, this season injuries to Goalie Vasilevskiy [missed 1/4 of the season] Jeannot Sergachev Cernak yet Kucherov kept the team in the playoff hunt, he accounted for 50% of the teams' goals, he led the league in total points over 120 days. The MVP award is NOT for the league's best player, but most valuable to his team. Not to take away from McKinnon Matthews McDavid, but the Oilers were horrible until the coaching change, McDavid has Leon Draisaitl McKinnon has top defender Cale Makar both have had their teams goalies the entire season Kucherov was most valualble for the Lightning, they would not be playing is the post season without his season.

[@js09js09]

Maple Leafs fans think Matthews should be MVP, but that would be ridiculous. Kucherov had 144 points to Matthews 107. Kucherov did something that only Gretzky, Lemieux, Orr, and McDavid have ever done. Even if Matthews hit 70 goals, a 70 goal season isn't as rare as a 100 assist season.

[@odoaceroftheneoromanempire7178]

It's Kucherov. Anybody who votes Matthews is probably from Toronto. Matthews should not even be nominated.

[@therealbeckboy5325]

If mcdavid had the most points and 100 apples he would be a guaranteed mvp so just let that sink in

[@jimlangdon1947]

Yes - Matthews in the long term will be remembered - as the guy who tried and failed to score 70 goals. 😀 Why wasn’t he just content with 69.

[@thomasfire0717]

It should yes but it's not going to because of bias against him. They're going to give it to mackinnon because he hasn't won one yet even tho he doesn't deserve it

[@Leon-zl5kx]

Kuuuuuch

[@asmrfan6543]

If it comes down to Mac vs Kuch, they should have a press-conference tie-breaker. Whoever holds the best one wins.

[@ashtonb0419]

we all saw kucherov after those cup wins lol he would take it easily

[@asmrfan6543]

@@ashtonb0419 Yes, the Hart committee will have to look at that footage, before casting their vote, even if it's from a few years ago, lol.

[@odoaceroftheneoromanempire7178]

Yeah, it's definitely a two horse race. I'm leaning more towards Kucherov who really pushed to get 42 assists in his last 25 games to reach 100 assists and win the Art Ross. If you asked me a few weeks ago, I would have said Mackinnon, but Kucherov put himself on top since then. Maybe Mackinnon will get the Ted Lindsay?

[@thephotonepoch9759]

Matthews should not have been even in the MVP conversation. If the Pens made it, Crosby should have gotten another Hart. Mcdavid, kuch and Mac are waaay more integral to their team's success. And of course Matthews always cares more about individual stats and records than winning a cup. So clearly bred in Arizona.

[@danmac9336]

Delusional pens fanboy even if the pens make it Kucherov is the reason TB is in the playoffs had more goals assists period full stop

[@Krokodilius]

ovechkin: omg this guy scores more goals than anybody, who cares about assists! matthews: this guy scores more than ovechkin but...mmm not enough assists.

[@odoaceroftheneoromanempire7178]

Ovechkin was not up against players who were putting up 140+ points and 100 assists... If Matthews had 120+ points along with his 69 goals he would win it, but Matthews does not quarterback play like Kucherov, MacKinnon, or McDavid. Matthews waits out the play to score. He also has only 2 more 5v5 goals than Hyman and MacKinnon. Kucherov is the Hart winner.

[@rt-rd5of]

Ovechkin's peak was 59 assists in 72 games played or 67 assists over 82 games. Ovechkin was elite at assists at his peak.

[@yougoof]

"Salt dink sucks" - Arizona coyote fans.

[@danmac9336]

Shouldn't have to been done to lock up the MVP.

[@rt-rd5of]

The year Ovechkin failed to hit 50 and hit 49 he won the cup

[@jamesruscheinski8602]

maybe, or Quinn Hughes with Vancouver

[@odoaceroftheneoromanempire7178]

Quinn Hughes was definitely a candidate for the first 20 or so games of the season, but he slowed down significantly on offense. If he kept pace with Matthews like he did for the first few months of the season and scored like 105 points like he was originally on pace for, he would have won it. He has been much more consistent than Makar defensively this year, so have some consolation that he will win the Norris.

[@warrenlafond1878]

Laffs fans left wanting.... Wait til they fail in Boston..... Let the TEARS begin?????

[@Regalman]

most points in the NHL Also who is more valuable to their team than a person that assisted on 100 of his team goals LMAO

[@CACSB6]

LOL arizona should be chanting about their terrible owner instead of Salt Lake

[@VictorEMusique]

the Lightning were never at the bottom of the league - there's someone else who got 100 assists whose team WAS at the bottom of the league and is now waiting to play in round 1 of the playoffs...

[@ForeheadPushUps]

1000%

[@danmac9336]

Kucherov 144 points Point 90 54 point difference M David 132 Draisatl 106 26 point McDavid wins it's a F***ING Theft if MacKinnon wins it's a f***I g lifetime achievement award like MAF's Vezina that was stolen from Vasilevskiy. Number 1 bulls***

[@McNutEVD]

let’s not use it as brownie points for mcdavid that his team was at the bottom of the league when his play at the time wasn’t doing anything to help them out of it, lol

[@VictorEMusique]

@@McNutEVD exactly. and when he turned it around, the team turned around. you made my point for me. most valuable to their team.

[@McNutEVD]

@@VictorEMusique would have been the same exact case for mackinnon and kucherov except neither of them had a slump in the first place.

[@ForeheadPushUps]

FINALLY!!! That ugly logo in minor arena can scram! 6M population hockey never picked up...SLC, KC, Milwaukee, GTA 2 (Like NY) make sense. I'm not a fan of Houston although TV rights 🤑 great choice for Buttman, lastly A-Town can wait. 69 like Doug Glatt!

[@cndnclassics5874]

5th to do it, mcdavid was 4th

[@user-vk1yx5tz7l]

Nate the Great Mackkkkkkkk innnnonnn wooooo baby !

[@datriaxsondor590]

I sure hope not, given that McDavid did it in 5 less games. If that's the measuring stick for MVP.... well, more assists per game, should get the MVP, no? Obviously, this is a stupid metric to try and determine the league's MVP.

[@rt-rd5of]

Even with less games McDavid PPG is 1.74 and Kucherov PPG is 1.78

[@SuperDevmister]

Kucherov out-Tampa can still win but with Mcdavid or Mackinnon out i’m taking their opponent 90% of the time

[@paolorossi8470]

That's your opinion. For a long time this season Tampa was out of the playoff picture. Once they reach the playoffs, people like you take it for granted.

[@dereks1848]

MacKinnon for the Hart!!!

[@GWh135]

No.

[@danmac9336]

He has less points than Kucherov he also is 54 points ahead of Point. MacKinnon 35 ahead of Rantanen and Makar who's third at 89 easy Kucherov unless the Canadian writers are still hating on Kucherov for not wanting to go back to Montreal or the number 1 bulls*** comment

[@Nate-vq8wy]

Empty net kuch aint winning it lol playing defense is part of the game and hes terrible at it...​@@danmac9336

[@thomasm4388]

Did 76 goals lock up a spot in the hall of fame or mogilny? Kucherov won't win. He's Russian.

[@Thatsfrompowersbitch]

Kucherov is king. He earned it.