15 reasons this NHL season took place in the Upside Down

3. Actually, Taylor Hall for Hart, too

While we’re on the subject of surprise MVPs, let’s dish over to winger and alternate captain Taylor Hall, he of the stunning 39 goals, 54 points and 93 points to similarly lead the New Jersey Devils to the second wild-card berth.

As with MacKinnon in Denver, at the beginning of the season you had to feel for Hall, a supremely talented scorer who seemingly had little support around him. But Hall, who was traded by the Edmonton Oilers two seasons ago, just before they got good, didn’t let it bring him down and responded by dragging the lowly regarded Devils into the playoffs for the first time in a zillion years. In fact, he rattled off an amazing 26-game points streak, tying none other than Patrick Kane for the best in the last 22 years. His streak was the fifth longest since 1987-88, behind guys named Lemieux (twice), Sundin and Yzerman. Hmm.

If you had said MacKinnon would do that before the season while not playing on the same team as Connor McDavid, someone very well would have accused you of living in the Upside Down.