From The Silky Mitten State: Michigan Representation in the NHL Scoring Race

In the above video—an excerpt from the latest episode of The Silky Mitten State—Connor Earegood and I discuss the state of Michigan's robust representation in the race for the Art Ross Trophy as the regular season's top scorer.

At the time of recording (last Friday morning), four players with ties to the state were in the top ten of the NHL's scoring race: Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, and Dylan Larkin.

The Hughes brothers spend their summers in Michigan and spent two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program in Plymouth, MI.  Quinn attended the University of Michigan, and as Connor notes, Quinn also should have been a Detroit Red Wing via the 2018 NHL Draft (when Ken Holland selected Filip Zadina one pick before the Vancouver Canucks took the eldest Hughes brother).

J.T. Miller is an Ohioan by birth, but he too moved north to Michigan to play for the NTDP.

Larkin is, of course, the Red Wings' captain, a Waterford Township native, and another University of Michigan and NTDP alum.

There's been a bit of movement in the scoring race since this conversation. Larkin is now one of five players on 17 points (tied for ninth in the league), and Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and yet another NTDP alum.

Perhaps more importantly, there is neither a Canadian, nor a Minnesotan in the top ten, re-affirming Michigan's superiority.

You can find the full episode on either Spotify or Apple Podcasts:

Red Wings 3, Rangers 5: New York Letdown

From The Silky Mitten State: The Confusion of Shane Pinto's Suspension

Brady Cleveland & the Wisconsin Badgers Making B1G Early Statement

From the Archive: Conn Smythe Accuses Detroit of "Kitty-Bar-the-Door Hockey"

Red Wings 5, Bruins 4: "It's Definitely Nice to Give the Bruins a Loss"

From Amsterdam to Montreal to the NHL: On Daniel Sprong's Long Journey Home

From the Archive: Yzerman Arrives in Detroit