Why Claude Giroux should've been a Hart Trophy finalist

Claude Giroux will not be attending the NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas on June 20. 

But he should be.

The Flyers' captain was not a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award as the “most outstanding player in the regular season” as determined by members of the NHL Players Association. Nor was he chosen as one of three finalists for the Hart Trophy awarded to the “player judged most valuable to his team” voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Flyers Nation can only be left wondering why Giroux was overlooked by those who play the sport and those who cover it yet again after Taylor Hall, Anze Kopitar and Nathan McKinnon were announced as Hart Trophy finalists Friday night.

In 2012, Giroux finished third in scoring behind Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin and Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos and was passed over for both major awards in favor of Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. 

This season, Giroux built a much stronger case for inclusion. He finished with 102 points, second to Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, and the highest point total of any player whose team qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In a Hart Trophy race that was more jam-packed than the Manhattan rush hour subway, how do you differentiate between eight to 10 legitimate candidates?

In the case of MacKinnon (Avalanche), Hall (Devils), Kopitar (Kings) and Giroux (Flyers), all four of their teams secured a playoff spot over the final week of the regular season. Had the Avalanche failed to beat the Blues in Game 82, MacKinnon wouldn’t be on this list. Failing to reach the postseason tarnishes value. Otherwise, McDavid would be the runaway favorite.

Which is why the final 10 games of the regular season should be weighted more heavily, as a majority of teams were in playoff mode looking to secure a spot. Giroux’s 19 points were better than Hall (17), Kopitar (12) and MacKinnon (8). Giroux also went on a goal-scoring tear with eight goals — including a hat trick in the season finale — in those final 10 games compared to just one for MacKinnon.  

However, Giroux’s value and importance even extended over the entire 82-game schedule, as he played a role in 41.3% of the goals the Flyers scored — better than Kopitar (39.5), Hall (39.1) and even MacKinnon (38.3) in this category.

There's an argument to be made that if the Devils didn’t have Hall, who was 41 points better than Jersey’s second-leading scorer, Nico Hischier, they’re nowhere near a playoff team. As valid as that point may be, you can also take a much different view through the Hart Trophy prism.

Which of the aforementioned players elevated the performance of their linemates/teammates? Who made the players around him better? In the case of MacKinnon, there was Mikko Rantanen, who went from 38 points a season ago to 84. Kopitar helped bring Dustin Brown’s game back to life with a career-high 61 points in L.A., and even Nikita Kucherov can be credited for Steven Stamkos’ comeback year.

Which is why Giroux’s move to left wing is that much more valuable. The captain helped catapult Sean Couturier and elevate him into the role as a No. 1 center. Couturier jumped from 34 points in 2016-17 to 76 points this season, and he simply doesn’t have his breakout season without playing all 82 games with Giroux on the same line.

If that’s not all-Hart worthy, it’s hard to quantify exactly what is.

How I would have voted 
1. Claude Giroux
2. Nathan MacKinnon
3. Anze Kopitar
4. Nikita Kucherov
5. Taylor Hall
6. Evgeni Malkin

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