Welcome to another edition of the Hockeybuzz hotstove.
In this one we'll be sharing our MVP picks if the season ended today.
Todd Cordell: Carey Price
Goaltenders don't usually win MVP, but my pick as of right now is Carey Price.
The Canadiens aren't a good possession team and they're outshot on a pretty consistent basis, but despite that Price has been spectacular and the Habs sit atop the Eastern Conference as a result.
Price has a .929SV% on the year (tied with Pekka Rinne for highest among goaltenders with 25+ starts) and has a 2.14 goals against average to go with it.
More than anything else he's my MVP because if he was just average this season the Habs would be closer to a wild card spot than a Presidents Trophy.
Ryan Wilson: Tyler Seguin He may not be leading the NHL in points (trails Voracek by 1) but he is assaulting opposing goalies and has a league high 26 goals on the year. Dallas started off the year slow but they have been white hot. He has 4 goals and 11 points in his last 10 games. The Stars are 8-1-1 in their last 10. They are still trailing a playoff spot by 5 points but where would they be without Seguin this year?
Earlier this year in September my bold prediction for the Western Conference was that Tyler Seguin would be a Hart Finalist, perhaps I sold him short.
Tim Chiasson: Pekka Rinne No one has been more valuable to his team than Pekka Rinne. He's at the top of the goalie categories and the Predators are at the top of the West as a result.
Without Rinne's Vezina caliber season the Preds aren't even close to 2nd in the Western Conference. Yes, they're getting some nice offensive seasons out of Forsberg and Ribeiro but even when they have slowed at times Rinne was there - as usual - to get it done.
Honorable Mentions: Carey Price, Ryan Getzlaf
Adam French: Carey Price I ran a bunch of options through my head and figured I would go with a more bold choice than usual. There have been a lot of dominant players this season, but there's one guy who is the Hart of his team. See what I did there? Man I'm so clever.
Montreal sits first in the East. How? It's hard to say exactly...Price, okay it has a lot to do with Price. Price is basically tied with Rinne for the highest sv% in the league with a .929sv% and has one of the lowest GAA. He's also third in shots faced and second in wins. This behind a defense that includes guys like Gonchar, Weaver and Gilbert. Heck Emelin isn't even that good. He has been lights out this year and is a big reason why the Habs are so successful.
The Hart seems to be the Art Ross or the Rocket Richard these days. Losing the meaning of the award has been pretty annoying, because it's such an interestingly worded trophy. It isn't the MVP of the league, it's the player judged most valuable to his team. Carey Price exemplifies what this award means and would be my favourite at this mid point of the season.
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