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NHL analyst Frank Seravalli has sparked a debate over whether Auston Matthews' potential 70-goal season is deserving of the Hart Trophy, the league's most prestigious individual award.
In a video shared on social media, Seravalli expressed his reservations about automatically awarding Matthews the Hart Trophy solely based on his goal-scoring skills.
"If Auston Matthews gets to 70, how does that factor into your Hart ballot?" Seravalli questioned. "And I said it doesn't really. They said why. And I said it's only six more than McDavid scored last year.
"It's impressive. No doubt that he's the 13th player in NHL history to get to 65 and that he's [has] the highest scoring single season in the salary cap era."
Seravalli acknowledged the impressiveness of Matthews' goal-scoring feat. He noted that Matthews would become just the 13th player in NHL history to reach the 65-goal mark and the highest-scoring player in a single season in the salary cap era. However, he cautioned against overemphasizing the significance of reaching the 70-goal milestone.
"All those things are great," Seravalli conceded. "But because he gets, it's not a magic trick that all of a sudden it goes from 69 to 70, and all of a sudden you're like, let's award this man the Hart."
Seravalli's remarks raise essential questions about the criteria for the Hart Trophy and the value placed on individual accomplishments versus the overall impact on team success. While Matthews' goal-scoring skills undeniably deserve recognition, Seravalli suggests that it should not be the sole determinant of Hart Trophy candidacy.
The Hart Trophy is traditionally awarded to the player judged to be the most valuable to his team, considering not only individual statistics but also leadership, impact on team success, and overall contributions to the game. In Matthews' case, while his goal-scoring exploits are impressive, there are other factors to consider when evaluating his candidacy for the Hart Trophy.
Auston Matthews' Leafs lose 5-4 to Red Wings
In a thrilling matchup, the Detroit Red Wings triumphed over the Toronto Maple Leafs with a 5-4 victory. Despite Auston Matthews' remarkable 69th goal of the season, Dylan Larkin secured the win for Detroit, scoring on a power play just 41 seconds into overtime.
Alex DeBrincat shone with two goals, while David Perron and Simon Edvinsson also contributed to Detroit's early 4-1 lead. James Reimer stood tall with 32 saves against his former team, marking his 500th NHL game.
Despite Toronto's comeback efforts, including goals from Matthews, John Tavares, and Nick Robertson, they fell short in overtime. Matthews, poised to reach 70 goals, expressed his focus on consistency.
Auston Matthews told reporters after the game:
"My approach every game, every night is the same, I just try not to really overthink.”
Ultimately, Detroit's resilience and Larkin's clutch goal secured a crucial win, keeping them in contention for a playoff spot.
