Minnesota Wild: Most Likely Award Candidates

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 20: Mikko Koivu of the Minnesota Wild is interviewed during media availability for the 2017 NHL Awards at Encore Las Vegas on June 20, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 20: Mikko Koivu of the Minnesota Wild is interviewed during media availability for the 2017 NHL Awards at Encore Las Vegas on June 20, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
3 of 6
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 20: Former Hart Trophy winners (L-R)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 20: Former Hart Trophy winners (L-R)

Do The Minnesota Wild Have A Hart Candidate?

In short, no. I don’t think there is a bonafide contender for the Hart Memorial Trophy in the Minnesota Wild ranks.

That’s not to be harsh on the roster, but there is no bonafide superstar in the ranks; the team thrives on exactly that – the team.

More from Analysis

You can look at the Edmonton Oilers and it’s clear the team runs through Connor McDavid. Look at the Pittsburgh Penguins, granted there’s two the team run through, but Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin deserve to be in that conversation. Where would the Colorado Avalanche have been last season without Nathan MacKinnon?

Point is, all those teams have absolute top tier, pick them in the first round of a fantasy draft superstar players.

The Minnesota Wild don’t have that player. What they do have however is a roster that had fifty or more point producers last season. Fifteen players, all up, produced 20 or more points for the team last year.

They are the epitome of a team; the points production doesn’t need to go through one singular player. They score team points.

Of course, who wouldn’t love to have one of those top-tier players; Artemi Panarin maybe? We even floated the idea that Erik Karlsson could’ve fit into the team salary cap, somehow.

Realistically, it’s not needed when you can rely on everyone out on the ice to contribute some points here and there.