Here's why Stefen Rosner gave New York Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin a second place Hart Vote.

When I found out that I would have the opportunity to vote for a handful of NHL awards as a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, I became excited. 

I also felt the nerves of not only having to rank players -- many that I don't watch on a day-to-day basis like I do the New York Islanders -- but also that my choices would be made public.

But I knew in the back of my mind that I was given a vote because my opinion is trusted (by some), and I needed to stay true to that. 

Here's my ballot:

Here's why I gave Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin a a second-place vote for the Hart Trophy. 

Sorokin had a phenomenal season, and the underlying stats will back up that claim, as he finished as a finalist for the Vezina. 

But the Hart Trophy is not the Vezina. 

If a goaltender wins a Vezina, that usually means he was one of, if not the most valuable player to his team. 

But the Vezina is defined as the goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position."

NHL general managers are the ones who vote for that award, and Boston Bruins Linus Ullmark, albeit in front of a historically dominant team, was brilliant and deserving of the hardware. 

If you took Ullmark off the Bruins for as good as he was, are they still a playoff team?

The answer is yes. 

If you did the same with Sorokin, are the Islanders still a playoff team?

While we can't be certain, I lean towards a defiant no. And that's why Sorokin was, in my opinion, worthy of a Hart vote. 

There's certainly an argument to be made to putting Sorokin second, and the likes of Bruins David Pastrnak, Dallas Stars Jason Robertson, and New Jersey Devils Jack Hughes where I slotted them.

To be honest, ranking all those players was a tough thing to do. 

What it came down to for me was that I watch Sorokin every day, whether in practice or in games, and I have a keen understanding of his role in the overall success of the Islanders.

The numerous times Sorokin bailed out the Islanders were too many to count, and despite being outworked and not at his ultimate best late in the season, he found a way to make the playoffs, with help from his teammates, of course. 

There was never a doubt about who was winning the award, as Connor McDavid is the greatest player in the league, finishing with a jaw-dropping 153 points.

I just felt that Sorokin was astronomical to the Islanders' ability to not only make the playoffs but stay in the race throughout the season when things went south. 

The Islanders have one superstar, and he's in net. The other superstars on my Hart ballot are on fantastic hockey teams -- stronger than the Islanders. 

Being open and honest with everyone is incredibly important to me, and I appreciate the continued support.