Is Oilers' Leon Draisaitl The Runaway Hart Trophy Winner? (What About The Selke?)
Leon Draisaitl (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch doesn't have a say in the matter, but if he did he knows which player would receive his vote for the Hart Trophy this season.
It would be Leon Draisaitl. And if it were based strictly on 5-on-5 play, Knoblauch also thinks his star center would be in the Selke Trophy conversation.
"His penalty-kill time isn't there with the defensive forwards who garner that award," Knoblauch said after the Oilers' morning skate in Buffalo on Monday. "If it were just 5-on-5, I say that hands-down he'd deserve to win that award."
Draisaitl entered Monday night's game with points in each of his past 14 games and in 22 of 23. He has been remarkably consistent in his production this season, and he scores when it matters the most.
Knoblauch noted that Draisaitl's power-play goal production is actually down this season from 2023-24, so his 5-on-5 contributions have also been significant. And with a quarter of the season remaining, he's already got the Rocket Richard Trophy wrapped up.
Today's video column has more.
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My opinion will differ from how the trophy is votes for, but the definition of the trophy is the player "most valuable to their team." While typical votes do not reflect that, it indicates a player who was so much better than the next best player on their team that they single-handedly carried their team to where they are.
Draisaitl is not that this year. He never will be unless injuries take McDavid out of the roster entirely.
Cale Makar would have a chance given how horrendous Avalanche goaltending was, but MacKinnon exists. Perhaps Kucherov? I don't know enough about the east to say.
I personally think players like David Wolf. Where a team without them is 10+ standings positions behind where they are without them. I am sure that will be an unpopular take on an Oiler's article. Crosby should probably be the front-runner. The Penguins could be fighting with the Sharks this year without his heroics.
