Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews picked up his first Hart Trophy (writers vote) as 2022 league MVP, plus the Ted Lindsay Award (players vote) as most outstanding player.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews took a major leap during the NHL’s regular season, picking up the league’s first 60-goal season in 10 years.
Tuesday night, he picked up his first Hart Trophy as 2022 league MVP, plus the Ted Lindsay Award as most outstanding player. Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid, last year’s winner, and New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin were the other finalists. Matthews had 41 goals in 52 games in the coronavirus-shortened 2020-21 season, finishing second in Hart voting. After offseason wrist surgery, he had 60 goals in 73 games in 2021-22 as the Maple Leafs finished with a franchise-best 115 points.
Matthews also set career highs in assists and points . He led the league in even-strength goals for the third year in a row.His .935 save percentage and 2.07 save percentage were tops among starting goaltenders. He had 36 wins. Makar set franchise records for defensemen with 28 goals and 86 points. He edged the Nashville Predators' Roman Josi 1,631-1,606 in the voting totals.He led rookie defensemen with 50 points and led all rookies with 43 assists and 23:02 in average ice time.