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It's only been one month since the NHL regular season started, but it is never too early too talk about possible MVP candidates. The amount of skill that the players display on the ice these days is unbelievable. There is no room for error and everyone works their rear end off night in and night out.
The talent pool in the NHL is deeper than it's ever been before. The incredible speed and goal-scoring makes the game of hockey extremely fun to watch.
On that note, here are my five early season MVP candidates:
5. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Whether you like it or not, Crosby will always be in contention for the Hart Trophy. He hasn't been talked about much so far this season, but Crosby has scored five goals and recorded six assists already. Crosby makes his teammates better.
4. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
Kucherov has scored 13 goals and recorded eight assists so far this season. Him and Steven Stamkos make for a dangerously dynamic duo. I view Kucherov as more of a goal scorer rather than a distributor, but that doesn't short-change his MVP chances.
3. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Matthews has scored nine goals and recorded seven assists so far this season. He does a tremendous job of elevating his teammates. His plus/minus of 12 is the best in the league, which means Matthews has improved on the defensive end as well.
2. John Tavares, New York Islanders
Tavares has been on a rampage of late. He means a lot to this franchise and he has been carrying the team on his back. If Tavares ever goes down, the Islanders would be in big time trouble.
Tavares has scored nine goals in the past five games, and a total of 11 so far this season. He also has four assists.
1.Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
Stamkos is a man on a mission right now; he wants to prove he is one of the best players in the game when he is healthy. Stamkos has scored eight goals and recorded 16 assists so far this season.
It seems as though Stamkos is the forgotten star in the NHL with his recent injury history. But he is an extremely talented player who is easily top five material when healthy.
