Martin Brodeur is a strong candidate for the Hart Trophy
Over this past weekend, as my buddy and I enjoyed a cold one - or two, perhaps even three - the talk, as it invariably does, turned to hockey.
This week's discussion argument revolved around whose name will been inscribed on the Hart Trophy later this summer.
Of course, our wives know better and were staked out in the living room, ignoring the conversation in the same manner I would if I was caught in the middle of their dialogue concerning Desperate Housewives and the blowout sale down at the local shoe store.
Now, my pal happens to be a die-hard follower of the Montreal Canadiens, and trust me when I say nothing is more poignant than discussing hockey with a fan of the bleu, blanc and rouge when his team is rubbing shoulders with the NHL's elite, as is the case these days.
Before the conversation was ten seconds old, he not only suggested Alex Kovalev should be considered for the Hart but reasoned he should be a favorite. Not sure I heard that proclamation right, I took a good long look into my glass of suds to make sure he hadn't slipped something in it.
In fairness to my short-sighted friend, the Hart does not represent the best player in the league but rather who is the most valuable to his team, so maybe a case, however rickety, could be made for Kovalev.
I prefer to think of the Hart rule of thumb in a more simplistic light. Take that one player away from his team and watch them jockey for a spot on skid row.
Using that approach, my list is short. Brodeur, Luongo, Nabokov, Lecavalier, Iginla and Ovechkin. Discuss at your own peril.
Needing to make a short list and with apologies to Lecavalier, Luongo and Iginla, my final three is comprised of Ovechkin, who appears to be the runaway leader right now, the ageless Brodeur and Nabokov.
Granted, the smart money is on Ovechkin, who does pretty much everything in Washington outside of mowing the White House lawn. Barring injury or deportation, Ovechkin will be the first player in a dozen years to light to break the 60-goal hurdle in a season.
Quite simply, he is the best player in the world at this moment.
Playing the devil's advocate, should the Capitals come up short in a playoff bid, is Ovechkin the slam-dunk Hart winner? Or would Brodeur, who just doesn't seem to know he is getting old, or Nabokov deserve equal billing?
When anyone not named Brodeur or Nabokov start for the Devils and Sharks, they have a combined three wins between them. Total.
Ovechkin may be considered a favorite, yes, but it is not as open and shut a case as it would appear.
Quite simply, the Hart Trophy engraver may want to hold off on checking to see if he has Ovechkin's name spelled correctly before he goes to work.
OV has a little company.