And the 2022 Hart Trophy Winner ought to be…

How I finally settled on a formula

I’ve revised my Hart Trophy (NHL MVP) criteria over the course of the season. Like I did for the NFL and NBA MVPs, I used quantifiable criteria and a cumulative score so that subjective judgments or bias wouldn’t prejudice my hypothetical vote.

(Of course, the choice of which objective criteria to use is itself subjective, and perhaps worthy of debate, but the conclusions are not.)

I didn’t settle on the formula until after the regular season ended. But here’s how I came up with the NHL MVP: Add together the number of games in which the player scored a point in a win or overtime loss, and the player’s Relative corsi.

Contributing points in wins and OT losses (which count in the NHL standings) is part of my philosophy: I don’t care about total season stats, but meaningful contributions to actual victories.

Corsi is a measure of the difference between a team’s overall number of shots (not just shots on goal) and the overall number of shots against. It’s a reflection of which team controls the puck the most. Corsi indicates a team’s overall offense and defense capabilities, regardless of whether the puck gets in the net.