One common thread shared among the four major North American sports leagues is the annual debate about who should win MVP and how voters should define value. From the fatigue of LaBron James dominating the NBA every season to the handwringing over Mike Trout being punished for having lousy teammates, there is a constant divide over what traditional media uses as their voting criteria and what the new generation of analysts view as the more rational approach.
When it was announced that Anze Kopitar’s superb 2017-18 season earned him a spot as a Hart Trophy finalist, we were, obviously, quite pleased.