Courtesy: Sports Illustrated/CNN
The Hart Trophy will be decided upon soon and it seems like most of the votes will be going to Sidney Crosby and John Tavares. Crosby was lighting up the league until he was hit in the face with a puck and broke his jaw which ended his season, although he’ll be back in time for the playoffs. Because he missed a month of games he lost the Art Ross Trophy to Marty St. Louis and dropped to third in points with Alex Ovechkin. But the Penguins kept right on winning anyway. John Tavares lead the Islanders to their first playoff appearance since 2007. He derserves it more than Crosby as the Islanders would be no where without Tavares’ play.
However, there is one guy rooting for Alex Ovechkin to claim his third Hart Trophy, and there is no better endorsment than from a guy who won it 9 times.
Wayne Gretzky, on Hockey Night In Canada’s radio show on Monday, called in to talk to hosts Rob Pizzo and Elliotte Friedman about why he thinks Alex Ovechkin deserves a shot at the Hart:
“Listen, first of all, had Crosby not been hurt, I think he would have been a unanimous choice. And he still may win the award. He was so remarkable in the games he played. I don’t think anyone’s going to question it if Jonathan Toews wins [the Hart]. He takes faceoffs, he kills penalties. On the power play he’s an instrumental leader for that hockey club. He’s sorta the heartbeat of that team. He does it in a classy way. He’s just a wonderful player. So he’s going to get a lot of votes.
From my side of things, I look at Alexander Ovechkin. You look at the Hart trophy and what it means And it means what player could you take away from that team and they wouldn’t have the success they had. And I think that people forget that he had three coaches in a 12 month period and I think that’s difficult for any player — especially an offensive-minded player. He struggled without question the first 20 games. And I think the final 28 games he finally got his confidence back. I don’t think there’s any coincidence that they were below .500, then as soon as he’s able to play at the level he’s capable of, they became a different team. I don’t think anybody’s going to be disappointed if either Toews or Ovechkin wins. Those would be my two guys that I would vote for. If Columbus made the playoffs, obviously that goaltender deserved a lot more attention than he would get.”
Courtesy: Getty Images
Gretzky went on to talk about Adam Oates’ influence on ‘The Great 8’ this season:
“What he’s done there is tremendous. And you have to make a decision as an organization, okay, “are we going to hang our hat on number eight” or are we going to say “time to move on, trade him for two or three or four players and that are a little bit more defensive minded. Adam Oates came in and said “he’s going to be my guy” and in fairness to Ovechkin, he’s boughten in to what Adam also wants. It’s been a good two-way street. Obviously, Ovechkin has loved playing for Oates and Oates has done a tremendous job coaching Ovechkin.
He’s a great player. He’s a superstar and it was just a matter of him getting his confidence back again and enjoying the game. I don’t care who you are. If you lose your confidence as a professional athlete, it’s very difficult to play. And so obviously he has it back and listen, the year he’s had and the finish he’s had, good for him and great for the city of Washington. It’s been exciting to watch.”
When ‘The Great One’ speaks, the hockey world listens. Will Ovechkin get some nods for the Hart? I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t. Will he win it? That’s tough to say. I’d love to say ‘Yes’. My bet would have to go to John Tavares but my vote would go to Ovechkin. I guess we’ll find out at the end of the season when the awkwardness of the NHL awards show takes center stage.
As for Adam Oates, I still say he deserves a crack at the Jack Adams Award for best coach. His patience and tolerance has paid off and the Caps could do some damage in the playoffs if they continue their intensity.
Gretzky doesn’t usually speak out like this unless he really believes in something. Even if Ovechkin doesn’t win, or even get a vote, to have the greatest player in the history of the game give you that compliment, that’s a win on its own.
More to come…
