NHL Awards Rankings: New No. 1 in MVP race
By Sion Fawkes
We’re nearing the midseason point, so the Hart Trophy race is heating up to new levels. There are many familiar names on this list, but a few new faces have also broken into the top 10 and they will look to keep climbing the MVP ladder with a combination of elite performances that will keep their team well in the conversation for a high playoff seed in the postseason.
All 10 players listed below have done their due diligence throughout the first one-third of the season, and many of these names will stick around as the calendar year comes to a close. There is a lot of talent on this list, so it should go without saying that we made some tough decisions in keeping some names off who drew serious consideration, and it made for an even tougher ranking, especially when deciding on who deserved the top spot.
Who landed the top spot in the MVP race?
10. Jack Eichel, C, Vegas Golden Knights
Jack Eichel is on pace to enjoy his best season in Las Vegas, with 39 points and 15 goals in 34 contests. He’s also been holding his own defensively, evidenced by his 37 takeaways that will turn into a career-high if he logs just 10 more this season.
The Golden Knights, however, haven’t been as hot lately as they are currently riding a two-game losing streak with three losses in their last four games. But if Eichel stays hot (he has six points in those four contests) and the Knights get back on track, he will climb up this list.
9. Cam Talbot, G, Los Angeles Kings
Cam Talbot is the only goaltender who made the cut this time around, as he is still rocking a 0.926 save percentage and a 2.02 GAA. He recently posted a shutout win over the Montreal Canadiens, but he is just 1-2-1 since that epic outing.
He also had a rather uninspiring performance in a 5-2 loss vs. the Winnipeg Jets on December 13th, but he also led the Kings to a big win over the Seattle Kraken following a shootout. Talbot also allowed just two goals in his next appearance, which also came against Seattle. While he hit a few bumps in the road, he still showed enough to snag a top-10 ranking this week.