Penguins Hurting Sidney Crosby’s MVP Chances

Sidney Crosby could easily be an MVP candidate, if only the rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins could help him out.

PITTSBURGH - Who knows where the Pittsburgh Penguins would be without Sidney Crosby? Thanks to his efforts, the Penguins are a team fighting for a spot in the playoffs after missing last season by a single point.

In 38 games, Crosby leads the Penguins in goals with 22 and has done unbelievable work to put his name firmly in the race for the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player.

While Crosby is more than deserving of that honor, there is one detail that could hold Crosby from Hart Trophy contention.

If the Penguins can’t reach the playoffs, Crosby likely won’t see his name appear too many times on the ballots.

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, and president of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (the group that votes on the Hart) says that Crosby may be having a great season, but he can’t vote for him without a playoff spot.

“I can’t put Sidney Crosby on my Hart Trophy ballot at this exact juncture in time,” Seravalli said. “And the reason for that is the Penguins are outside of the playoffs.”

Despite Crosby’s play, the Penguins missing the postseason would likely sway many voters away from him thanks to this unspoken rule that the MVP winner must come from a team that makes the playoffs.

The last time a player won the Hart while missing the postseason was, ironically, Penguins legend Mario Lemieux in 1988.

The debate for Crosby and the MVP race will last as long as he continues to put the Penguins on his back in more ways than just scoring goals; without a spot in the playoffs, however, Crosby’s hopes at a Hart are pretty slim.

Seravalli did go on to list off the five names he would put on his ballot ‘right now,’ and it included a pair of players without a guaranteed spot in the playoffs.

Connor McDavid (not in a playoff spot at the time of recording), Nathan MacKinnon, Artemi Panarin, Nikita Kucherov (not in a playoff spot), and Quinn Hughes.

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