Not Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews, Paul Bissonnette delivers a hot take for his final NHL MVP rankings

Former NHL player and current analyst Paul Bissonnette stirred up debate with his unconventional rankings for the Hart Memorial Trophy, given to the league's most valuable player.

In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Bissonnette placed Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov tied for first, followed by Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Artemi Panarin and Sidney Crosby.

Bissonnette's top pick raised eyebrows, as MacKinnon and Kucherov are not the usual suspects in the MVP conversation, which typically revolves around McDavid and Matthews.

However, Bissonnette argued:

"Kucherov's offensive numbers speak for themselves. A lot more to the game than just points though. MacKinnon has more defensive responsibility and has elements to his game that Kucherov doesn't."

Kucherov led the league with 144 points (44 goals, 100 assists), while MacKinnon followed closely with 138 points (51 goals, 87 assists). Matthews, recognized for his goal-scoring ability, scored 69 goals but had fewer overall points (107) than MacKinnon and Kucherov.

McDavid finished with 132 points (32 goals, 100 assists), placing him third in Bissonnette's rankings. Panarin's 120-point campaign (49 goals, 71 assists) earned him the fourth spot, while Crosby's 94 points (42 goals, 52 assists) landed him in fifth.

Bissonnette acknowledged the difficulty in choosing between such elite players, saying:

"Let the voters figure it out. Not an easy decision."

His unorthodox rankings have sparked a lively debate among fans and pundits alike.

The 2023–24 Hart Trophy winner will ultimately be determined by votes from the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.

Auston Matthews’s thoughts on not reaching the historic 70-goal milestone

Auston Matthews came up just short in his pursuit of 70 goals, finishing the 2023–24 season with 69 after being held scoreless in the Toronto Maple Leafs' final two games.

While disappointed to miss out on the milestone, Matthews shifted his focus to the playoffs.

"I wanted it, for sure, but it just wasn't meant to be," Auston Matthews said after Toronto's season finale, a 6-4 loss to Tampa Bay.

"You obviously want to produce and help your team win games. The most important thing is the team and the team's success, making sure I'm pulling my weight as a leader on this team and help the team win. That's where my focus is at."

Auston Matthews has tied Mario Lemieux's record by scoring 69 goals, the most in a season since 1995–96.

Now, Matthews and the Leafs are gearing up for the playoffs, with their first game against the Boston Bruins scheduled for this Saturday.