NEW YORK (AP) — Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid are two of the finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy, the NHL’s most valuable player award.
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is also in contention for the prize awarded “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.”
Matthews, who earned this season’s Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading goal-scorer, had career highs with 60 goals and 46 assists.
He became the 21st different player in NHL history — and first in a decade — to score 60 goals in a season.
McDavid, who earned the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top scorer this season, also established career highs with 44 goals and 79 assists.
The reigning Hart Trophy winner, McDavid never went more than three games without a point.
Shesterkin, who earlier this week was selected as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, as the NHL’s best goaltender, had a 2.07 goals-against average, .935 save percentage and six shutouts.
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