Most people agree that Igor Shesterkin is the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy at this point in time, but his candidacy for another trophy isn’t being considered as strongly as it should be. That trophy, as indicated by the title of this story, being the Hart Memorial Trophy awarded annually to the player “adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.”
Shesterkin should already be a top-three candidate, and whether he is or isn’t already for most voters is immaterial, because in my mind his race for the trophy effectively begins now. The New York Rangers sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 32-13-5 for 69 points in 50 games played.