Can anyone stop Nikita Kucherov? Can anyone else keep pace with him to put up a good fight in the race for the Hart trophy?

After last night’s 5 point performance vs the Blue Jackets — that’s 5 primary points by the way — he now has 99 points in 60 games. He is 9 points ahead of the next closest player, Patrick Kane with 90 points. He is 16 points ahead of the third place player, which is McDavid with 83 points.

Is it possible that Kucherov can reach 120+, or even 130+ points, and not get the Hart? I’ve read enough people mention how he only has that many points because of the team he plays on, but honestly if that’s the argument let’s go through the other contenders:

  • Kane — plays with Toews, DeBrincat, Saad, Strome, and others who are putting up lots of points too.
  • Gaudreau — plays with Monahan, Lindholm, Giordano, Tkachuk.
  • MacKinnon/Rantanan — plays with each other, plus Landeskog and Barrie./

Basically if Kucherov doesn’t win the Hart this season because of that argument, it should go to McDavid for having to play with a rotating cast of waiver pick up trash and occasionally Draisaitl. It will be incredibly funny/stupid if McDavid DIDN’T win the Hart last year, but does this year. Please do not let that happen though.

I’m starting to think this will be a weird year where a defenseman or goalie wins it, somehow.

Back to Excited Hockey Podcast: Episode 51 - Babcock’s Toys | by Arvind and Fulemin

CWHL recap: Chuli grounds Thunder 3-1 | by nafio

European Report: playoffs are just around the corner | by Katya

Calder Cup to backups: How Calvin Pickard and Garret Sparks aced their NHL audition season | by Cat Silverman, who is a bit of a goalie expert in the hockey twitter world and well worth a follow.

Marlies Complete Comeback, Win 5-3 after trailing 2-0 and 3-1 into the third period | by the Toronto Marlies

Speaking of the Marlies, both Sandin and Liljegren returned from their injuries recently and you might not know this but they’ve been played together at times.

Fulemin had an inside scoop from Kyle Dubas, when asked about the rumours surrounding the Leafs and Rangers potentially making a trade.

AROUND THE NHL

I added this section solely because of the bonkers game between the Blackhawks and Sens last night. After one period it was 5-4 Hawks. After two periods it was 7-5. By the time the game ended it was 8-7, that’s 3+ goals in every period. Hope y’all had some of the big performers on your fantasy teams!

Ovechkin is the greatest goal scorer of all the time and I will not hear any argument to the contrary. He is going to score 30+ goals a season for the next ten seasons or something stupid.

Oh yeah and the Leafs are taking on the Blues, who have won 9 games in a row, or something. GO LEAFS GO!

From The Branches