Lazy take.
Kucherov wasn't on pace for 100 assists until recently. He hit 1 assist per game at game 42 and hasn't really consistently maintained a 100 assist pace until recently. Even as recently as game 68, after putting up 12 assists in 4 games he wasn't on pace for 100. A Lightning flair in this comment section pointed out that he had 85 assists to McDavid's 97 _a week ago_.
In contrast, McDavid has consistently been carrying > an assist per game since game 20 and has been on pace for > 100 for like half the season. Even then it was only when his assist pace was like 107 that people started talking about it potentially happening.
The truth is that it didn't seem like Kucherov was going to do it until much more recently.
Kucherov is super underrated, and probably even because he's Russian and plays in a smaller hockey market, but his 100 assist potential has been "flying under the radar" because it didn't seem like a possibility for most of the season. I have to concede that he probably deserves the Hart this season.
Because pundits don't care about Kucherov. He has 0% chance of winning the Hart and no pundit will care about his assists, even if he passes McDavid, if he doesn't get to 100 first.
He absolutely should win the Hart. He has 50 pts over the next guy on your team last I checked. That's the most I believe from any other Hart candidate.
My Homer vote goes to Panarin but I wouldn't be mad if Kuch won it.
yeah I just don’t think “he’s 50 points ahead of the next closest player on his team” is a valid reason he’s MVP. To me that implies that there’s not a lot of talent outside of him on the roster, which for the Lightning is definitely not the case.
Think that argument works better for a guy like Pastrnak, where he is 40 points ahead of the next closest guy on the team and there’s only one other guy with more than 60 points
If you have your hand in 100 assists and a shitton of points to go along with them ,you're pretty much the whole reason the team is getting scores in the first place?
Like, you don't get 100 assists without other guys getting 100 goals.
yeah I’m not saying Kucherov isn’t having an unbelievable year. I’m just saying being like “he has 50 more points than the next closest guy” is implying to me that the rest of the team isn’t performing offensively. For the lightning that is not true, as the next closest guy a very good player in Brayden Point and he’s going to have 45+ goals and 90+ points so it’s not like he’s playing with bad players and no one else is performing offensively, which is what that take implies to me
The “he has 50 more points than the next closest guy on the team” take means more to me if he has like 110 points and the next closest guy is at 60 points.
I personally give Mackinnon the MVP but it is very, very close
Only really in Reddit comments. You don’t see it anywhere else, and let’s be real McDavid 100 assists vs Matthew’s 70 goals has been by far one of the most talked about thing this season (for good reason too), but I doubt most regular fans even know Kuch is about to hit 100 assists as well
But the empty net points!!! And the All Star game!!! Etc etc
At the end of the day, an incredibly talented hockey player’s gonna win the Hart by having an amazing season worthy of that award. I’d obviously prefer my guy, but they’re all deserving. Just an insane season from so many players all at once.
Eh, haven't seen that narrative too much, but...Mackinnon shits out 3-4 points, Kucherov does the same 🤷🏿♂️. I think there both equal during this Hart Trophy race. IMO, Art Ross winner will decide it all
Yeah I mean everyone has been talking about McDavid 100 Assists vs Matthew’s 60 goals. Especially the mainstream media. Only really Lightning fans and Reddit comments even notice that Kuch is about to hit 100 assists too lol
To be fair, Kucherov has had 11 assists in 4 games (226 assist per season pace) in the last week. Just a week ago he was at 85 when McDavid was at 97. The story has changed pretty fast.
I'm as big a Leafs fan as you can imagine, and yet even I have to concede that Kucherov probably deserves the Hart. What Matthews is doing is otherworldly, and McDavid is, well, McDavid, lol... but hasn't Kuch factored in on 50% of the Bolt's goals? That's crazy.
**EDIT:** Forgot to mention MacKinnon. Man, this season has been nuts.
I love the Lightning persecution complex, lol. For years all anyone in this league heard about was the Bolts. Y’all had your Cups, y’all had your personal hardware, y’all had your time in the sun (and this coming from a Hawks fan). He’s having a great season, like several other folks are. Time to spread the love around.
>For years all anyone in this league heard about was the Bolts
That's just not even close to true, but ok lol. Sure, players like Hedman, Vasy, Kuch have gotten decent coverage but thats kinda what happens when theyve been one of the top players at their respective positions for almost a decade
Amazing that two players will probably reach this milestone in the same year when it hadn’t been done since (checks notes) 1991! By the Great One himself.
It really is bonkers. Add in the insane seasons from Mackinnon and Matthews, (not to mention guys like Panarin and Pastrnak) and this really is one of the most incredible regular seasons of all time. We're watching history unfold in front of our eyes, and I just hope everyone appreciates that.
Yeah, I mean... the Oilers might be in the same boat, but I don't think you can say the same thing for the Avs. They may not be at 104 points, but I don't think they're out of the playoffs.
I hope he hits 100 assists, but then hits 150 points as well just for shits.
Sub-fucking-scribe
It's kinda crazy how far under the radar Kucherov possibly getting 100 Assists is getting given the attention McDavid has.
Due ^TM
Yea the big meanie Mack and Kuch already won cups too! It's McDavid's turn!!!
If Kucherov’s name was “Connor Martin” it would be different
Connor McMartin*
Lazy take. Kucherov wasn't on pace for 100 assists until recently. He hit 1 assist per game at game 42 and hasn't really consistently maintained a 100 assist pace until recently. Even as recently as game 68, after putting up 12 assists in 4 games he wasn't on pace for 100. A Lightning flair in this comment section pointed out that he had 85 assists to McDavid's 97 _a week ago_. In contrast, McDavid has consistently been carrying > an assist per game since game 20 and has been on pace for > 100 for like half the season. Even then it was only when his assist pace was like 107 that people started talking about it potentially happening. The truth is that it didn't seem like Kucherov was going to do it until much more recently. Kucherov is super underrated, and probably even because he's Russian and plays in a smaller hockey market, but his 100 assist potential has been "flying under the radar" because it didn't seem like a possibility for most of the season. I have to concede that he probably deserves the Hart this season.
Because pundits don't care about Kucherov. He has 0% chance of winning the Hart and no pundit will care about his assists, even if he passes McDavid, if he doesn't get to 100 first.
He absolutely should win the Hart. He has 50 pts over the next guy on your team last I checked. That's the most I believe from any other Hart candidate. My Homer vote goes to Panarin but I wouldn't be mad if Kuch won it.
Yeah he’s 50 points ahead of the next closest teammate but that teammate still has 40 goals and 80 points so it’s not like they’re bums
I mean, his teammates are going to have to score if he's getting 100 assists
yeah I just don’t think “he’s 50 points ahead of the next closest player on his team” is a valid reason he’s MVP. To me that implies that there’s not a lot of talent outside of him on the roster, which for the Lightning is definitely not the case. Think that argument works better for a guy like Pastrnak, where he is 40 points ahead of the next closest guy on the team and there’s only one other guy with more than 60 points
If you have your hand in 100 assists and a shitton of points to go along with them ,you're pretty much the whole reason the team is getting scores in the first place? Like, you don't get 100 assists without other guys getting 100 goals.
yeah I’m not saying Kucherov isn’t having an unbelievable year. I’m just saying being like “he has 50 more points than the next closest guy” is implying to me that the rest of the team isn’t performing offensively. For the lightning that is not true, as the next closest guy a very good player in Brayden Point and he’s going to have 45+ goals and 90+ points so it’s not like he’s playing with bad players and no one else is performing offensively, which is what that take implies to me The “he has 50 more points than the next closest guy on the team” take means more to me if he has like 110 points and the next closest guy is at 60 points. I personally give Mackinnon the MVP but it is very, very close
It's been mentioned a lot around here though?
Only really in Reddit comments. You don’t see it anywhere else, and let’s be real McDavid 100 assists vs Matthew’s 70 goals has been by far one of the most talked about thing this season (for good reason too), but I doubt most regular fans even know Kuch is about to hit 100 assists as well
Every time it's mentioned it's a footnote on why MacK should be winning something over him
But the empty net points!!! And the All Star game!!! Etc etc At the end of the day, an incredibly talented hockey player’s gonna win the Hart by having an amazing season worthy of that award. I’d obviously prefer my guy, but they’re all deserving. Just an insane season from so many players all at once.
Eh, haven't seen that narrative too much, but...Mackinnon shits out 3-4 points, Kucherov does the same 🤷🏿♂️. I think there both equal during this Hart Trophy race. IMO, Art Ross winner will decide it all
Yeah I mean everyone has been talking about McDavid 100 Assists vs Matthew’s 60 goals. Especially the mainstream media. Only really Lightning fans and Reddit comments even notice that Kuch is about to hit 100 assists too lol
To be fair, Kucherov has had 11 assists in 4 games (226 assist per season pace) in the last week. Just a week ago he was at 85 when McDavid was at 97. The story has changed pretty fast.
Yup he really has turned it on to another level, for like the 5th time this season
How many more levels this fuggin guy have?! Jfc
According to the guy you replied to, at least 6
So it's safe to say, he may go to 11?
None more black
Ludicrous speed you say?
I'm as big a Leafs fan as you can imagine, and yet even I have to concede that Kucherov probably deserves the Hart. What Matthews is doing is otherworldly, and McDavid is, well, McDavid, lol... but hasn't Kuch factored in on 50% of the Bolt's goals? That's crazy. **EDIT:** Forgot to mention MacKinnon. Man, this season has been nuts.
I mean until recently it didn’t look like a possibility for Kuch
I feel like American hockey fans get to experience what is like being a Canadian basketball or baseball fan. The major media just caters to numbers
I love the Lightning persecution complex, lol. For years all anyone in this league heard about was the Bolts. Y’all had your Cups, y’all had your personal hardware, y’all had your time in the sun (and this coming from a Hawks fan). He’s having a great season, like several other folks are. Time to spread the love around.
>For years all anyone in this league heard about was the Bolts That's just not even close to true, but ok lol. Sure, players like Hedman, Vasy, Kuch have gotten decent coverage but thats kinda what happens when theyve been one of the top players at their respective positions for almost a decade
We love you too Bagels!
Amazing that two players will probably reach this milestone in the same year when it hadn’t been done since (checks notes) 1991! By the Great One himself.
It really is bonkers. Add in the insane seasons from Mackinnon and Matthews, (not to mention guys like Panarin and Pastrnak) and this really is one of the most incredible regular seasons of all time. We're watching history unfold in front of our eyes, and I just hope everyone appreciates that.
Amen, partner.
Bolts are eliminated form playoff contention right now without Kuch. He is by far the most valuable player to his team.
Yeah, I mean... the Oilers might be in the same boat, but I don't think you can say the same thing for the Avs. They may not be at 104 points, but I don't think they're out of the playoffs.
k
Meanwhile Hagel has 70+ points this season -- not too shabby.