The Professional Hockey Writers Association Has Pissed Me Right Off

The other day I read a tweet from Ryan Clark, who writes for The Athletic, and it got my blood absolutely boiling. In said tweet, he mentioned that the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) had voted McDavid the mid-season Hart trophy winner. That as a stand-alone statement isn’t that maddening, but when you consider the context it is preposterous. If you remember back in the 2017-18 season Nathan “our lord and savior” MacKinnon finished second in the Hart Trophy voting to Taylor Hall. Many writers cited the reason they didn’t put MacK at the top of their list was because of his linemates (Mikko and Gabe). Those three had a fantastic season together and in their eyes, Hall had individually been more important to his team’s success. Now we return to today, Nathan MacKinnon has been without a shadow of a doubt the most important player to his team’s success. MacK has almost twice the points (72) then the next closest player (Makar 37) on his own team. While McDavid, the league leader in points, has a grand total of one (1) point more than his linemate Leon Draisaitl. In 2018 Mikko put up 84 points in his break out season, while Draisaitl is on pace to put up over 120 this season. It seems like McDavid has PLENTY of help on his line this year. The supporting cast for MacK in 2018 was also just as dismal as McDavid’s this season. With all that said I don’t want this to sound like some sort of slander against McDavid. He is an unbelievable player who makes me question my very existence as a human being with his skill on the ice. My sights are set directly on the PHWA and their hypocrisy when it comes to players in Canadian markets. MacKinnon is seeing what American viewers of the game have been seeing for years, a clear slant towards teams and players in Canadian markets.

It’s no secret that hockey in Canada is much bigger than it is here in the US. Its Canadas national sport and deserves to be so, but there is a huge push to grow the game, not only in the US but around the world. The media constantly talks about how concerned they are with growing the game, yet teams and players outside of Canada are simply focused on less. Whenever I watch or read about hockey I’m constantly inundated with news about the Leafs, Oilers, and the like. While many of the programs are based in Canada they are knowingly sent out internationally. Last season you couldn’t watch any media without hearing about William Nylander and his non-existent contract, while Sasha Barkov was undressing goalies left and right down in Florida. Barkov has been voted the most underrated player in the world for what feels like a fucking decade now, and that’s because the media doesn’t give two shits unless you’re playing in Canada. If they truly want to grow the game they need to look at themselves first.

Alright, I feel like I’ve now let the appropriate amount of steam off, and can finally return to the point at hand. The PHWA can absolve themselves of the original sin at the end of the season. If both these players continue at the pace their playing MacKinnon should be the one taking the stage to accept his first Hart Trophy. If that doesn’t happen then quite frankly I don’t want to hear any more bullshit “grow the game” stories, because they aren’t doing it themselves.

P.S. After I finished writing this the McDavid recovery documentary came out, and it is no doubt an incredible story, but that should have absolutely ZERO influence on the Hart voting. The NHL literally has a trophy for best comeback player, the Masterton. Give it to McDavid, I really don’t give a shit, just don’t make this another reason to give the Hart to the wrong guy.

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