Ryan Getzlaf Once Again in the Hart Trophy Discussion

The Anaheim Ducks currently boast a 24-9-6 record through 39 games. Their 54 points in the NHL standings are the most in the NHL. They have reached that mark, in large part because of the stellar play of their captain, Ryan Getzlaf. Getzlaf was nominated for the Hart Trophy last season as the NHL’s most valuable player after scoring 31 goals and 87 points. However, it was not enough, as Getzlaf came in second to Sidney Crosby, who took home the trophy for the second time in his career.

Last season, Crosby was a runaway winner of the award: he had the award cemented well before the end of the season. However, this season, there is not clear-cut winner or standout candidate at this point in the season: many of the outstanding players have grouped themselves together. It is still to early to call a player a “favorite” to win the trophy at this point: no team has even reached the halfway point of the season yet. This season, however, Getzlaf has followed up his terrific 2013-2014 campaign with another terrific season, and he deserves consideration for the award once again.

The Hart Trophy is an individual award, and Getzlaf has certainly had quite the season. He is fourth in the NHL in scoring with 42 points, behind only Jakub Voracek (47), Tyler Seguin (44), and Claude Giroux (43). However, Getzlaf has led his team to wins. The Ducks are currently at the top of the NHL standings. The Stars are currently tenth in the Western Conference, while the Flyers are currently 13th in the Eastern Conference. Yes, points (both individual and standings) are empty without postseason performance, but the Hart Trophy is also a regular-season award, rewarding the player who was the best over the 82-game schedule. From a scoring perspective, Getzlaf fits the category.

Getzlaf is one of the most important forwards to his team in the entire game. He is seventh among forwards in ice time per game (20:29), only trailing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Giroux, Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Steen, Alex Ovechkin, and John Tavares. Of those forwards, only Nugent-Hopkins and Steen play in all three phases of the game (even strength, power-play, and penalty kill) as much as Getzlaf (at least 500 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time, 100 minutes of power-play ice time, and 60 minutes of shorthanded ice time). He does all of this despite the addition of Ryan Kesler, another terrific player who is capable of handling all these roles and ease Getzlaf’s minutes. Getzlaf is willing to make the requisite plays to win the game. He leads all NHL forwards in blocked shots, with 52. So not only does he put up the points, but Getzlaf also contributes in other areas.

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Scoring points has usually been the criteria for winning the Hart Trophy: Crosby won it last season while winning the Art Ross Trophy. Evgeni Malkin did the same in 2011-2012, as did Henrik Sedin in 2009-2010. Corey Perry won the trophy in 2010-2011 while scoring 50 goals and winning the Maurice “Rocket Richard” Trophy as the league’s leading goal-scorer. His 98 points were third in the NHL that season behind Daniel Sedin (104) and Martin St. Louis (99), the other two finalists. If that is once again the criteria, then Getzlaf should be up there.

Hart Trophy winners have led their teams to playoff berths. Crosby and the Penguins won the Metropolitan Division last season. Ovechkin led the Capitals to a comeback during the lockout-shortened 2012-2013 season, and the team won the Southeast Division. Malkin led a team without Crosby to the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference in 2011-2012. Perry and the Ducks were the fourth seed in 2010-2011. Getzlaf is currently spearheading the team with the best record in the NHL. That also fits the criteria.

Again, none of the expected candidates have really separated themselves or made a strong case. Crosby is only tied for 10th in the league in scoring at the moment. Ovechkin has 17 goals and 30 points, but the Capitals are only one game ahead of the Boston Bruins for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference currently. Steven Stamkos (20 goals, 38 points) and Tavares (15 goals, 32 points) are also in the discussion for the Hart Trophy, among playoff teams (Stamkos because of his ability to score goals, and Tavares for leading an Islanders team from one of the worst records last season to a top-flight Eastern Conference team).

Is Getzlaf’s case worse than Stamkos’ or Tavares’? The Lightning are 24-11-4, while the Islanders are 25-11-1. The Ducks have more points than the Lightning through the same number of games with similar production from Stamkos and Getzlaf. Stamkos has eight more goals, but he is regarded as one of the best pure-goal scorers in the league. Getzlaf has 14 more assists, but is regarded as one of the best playmakers in the NHL. The Islanders, meanwhile, have two games in hand, but Getzlaf has more points than Tavares does while playing as big a role for the Ducks.

There is no clear-cut picture in the Hart Trophy landscape yet, and there is still a considerable amount of hockey left to play. But excluding Getzlaf from the Hart Trophy discussion would be an unfortunate mistake. He is having a terrific season and leading his team to one as well. And among the field of many worthy candidates, Getzlaf should be one of the first names mentioned in the NHL’s MVP discussion as the 2015 calendar year begins.

Jason Byun is the editor for Pucks of a Feather. He can be found on Twitter. For more Anaheim Ducks coverage, follow Pucks of a Feather on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

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