Entering the 2016-17 NHL campaign, the Hart Trophy was presumably Sidney Crosby's or Connor McDavid's to lose, and well beyond the halfway point of the season, both are living up to expectations, leading the league in goals and points, respectively.
But there's a dark horse in this race - a particular Chewbacca-resembling rover who's forced himself into the conversation about the league's most most valuable player.
Yes, it's Brent Burns, the San Jose Sharks man-child who sits third in league scoring (55 points in 52 games) as he crafts a season worthy of the Hart Trophy.
After scoring 75 points in 2015-16, Burns lost out on the Norris Trophy to Drew Doughty and Erik Karlsson - no shame in that. But after his best season to date yielded no hardware, Burns is on pace to up his career bests this time around, which should make voters take an extra second when considering their year-end winners.
If Burns plays 82 games at his current pace, he'll collect 86 points, which would be the highest output by a defenseman since Brian Leetch's 85 with the Rangers in 1995-96. Similarly, Burns is on track to score 34 goals - the sixth-highest total by a defenseman in league history.
It's more than just point production, though: Burns is an offense-generating machine. The 31-year-old currently leads the NHL in shots (201), and if he winds up knocking Alex Ovechkin off his puck-firing throne by season's end, he'll be the first blue-liner to lead the league in that category since Ray Bourque in 1994-95.
In terms of primary points, otherwise known as goals or first assists, Burns' 26 trail only McDavid. Elsewhere, his totals per 60 minutes and individual shot attempts reveal his on-ice impact is larger than almost anyone's.
| Stat | Total | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Points | 26 | 2nd |
| Goals/60 | 0.96 | 2nd |
| Points/60 | 2.30 | 5th |
| Indivdual CF/60 | 20.04 | 1st |
| Individual CF | 314 | 1st |
(Statistics courtesy: Corsica Hockey)
Burns is a lock to be a Norris finalist again, and frankly, should win it. While Karlsson is the Senators' centerpiece in a team-wide shift toward defensive responsibility, and Doughty's focus is obtaining a playoff spot, Burns is blistering toward one of the best seasons we've ever seen from a defenseman.
In personality and production, Burns is truly a one-of-kind player, and he's building an increasingly convincing case to be considered the most valuable.
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