The Hart Trophy nominees are out and it’s the big three of Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid.
The first overall picks in 2013, 2015 and 2016 have climbed to superstar status and are now becoming, year in and year out, the top players in the game and it could be a few years of these three being nominated for the MVP of the league.
However, the big prize remains unattainable. You wonder when any of these three superstars reach the Stanley Cup and finally get their name etched on it.
MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche have seemed like they’ve been closing in but haven’t yet reached the final four, let alone a Cup final. The playoff experiences of McDavid and Matthews have been forgettable, though at least McDavid has seen one second-round series.
Of course Steven Stamkos had to wait 12 years before finally lifting the Cup, so there is plenty of time left to enjoy this trio’s talent and quest for hockey’s holy grail.