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Toronto Maple Leafs: Matthews or McDavid as the Hart Front-runner?

By Jordan Maresky

Mar 9, 2019; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) tries to knock the puck away from Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) during the third period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2019; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) tries to knock the puck away from Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) during the third period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Jan 20, 2021; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) hits the crossbar as Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Justin Holl   Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers are more than just divisional rivals.  Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid are two of the NHL’s best players and in direct competition for the NHL’s most coveted individual award – the Hart Trophy.

What started off as a new-age, offseason training partnership, has now transcended into a full-fledged two-horse race for the right to call themselves the NHL’s “Most Valuable Player”. Expectations for both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers markets are pretty clear – a Stanley Cup. Thus, the duo, who are the franchise cornerstones of their individual teams, decided to join up in Matthews’ Arizona home and push each other through their offseason training.

Along with the help of Coyotes’ legend Shane Doan, having that constant reminder of what arguably your biggest competitor for “best player on the planet” is doing, elevated aspects of the superstars’ games they would not have been able to achieve separately.

Videos began flowing in of the duo’s on-ice sessions, in which Peter Budaj (unfortunately) volunteered to be the goalie feeling the effects of Matthews and McDavid at work. This became the new craze as several players wanted in and the ‘Development Camp in the Desert’ expanded from two to over seven as Jonathan Toews, Jake Bean, Anthony Duclair, Matt Dumba, Alex Galchenyuk and several Coyotes joined in.

Now, over a month into the 2020-21 season, it is clear the pair has learned a thing or two from each other.

Matthews is noticeably faster. Coupling his size and strength with an extra burst of speed has vaulted the Leafs center into a new territory of the NHL hierarchy. Any hockey fan will tell you the most visible aspect of what makes McDavid the most talented player on the planet is his otherworldly speed. Likewise, the Oilers captain seems to have grown his defensive game and upped his goal-scoring prowess – two hallmarks of Matthews’ game that makes him so elite.

It remains to be seen how the Hart Trophy race shapes out, but it is clear that over the final two and a half months of the regular season, the two best players in the NHL right now are going to look to add to their already compelling MVP cases.

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