Do the Sharks need to make the playoffs for Macklin Celebrini to win the Hart?

Playing for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics, San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini took the hockey world by storm.

Celebrini was both productive and effective alongside Connor McDavid on Canada’s first line, and his Olympic performance cemented his ascension to the elite echelons of NHL players that he’s been working on all year.

With 81 points in 55 games played, Celebrini is squarely in the running for the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. The Sharks have already shattered their win total from a season ago, and he has a team that has recently been a perennial bottom feeder in the mix for the playoffs at 27-24-4.

On Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk and co-host and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton were joined by former NHL video coach Steve Peters to discuss what needs to go Celebrini’s way for him to take home the Hart Trophy.

Carter Hutton: The San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini for MVP. You know, he put his flag in the world right now in the Olympics. What he was able to do, is there a potential for him to win the MVP, or do they need to make the playoffs for him to do it?

Steve Peters: His run right now and his ability to do what he did in the Olympics was otherworldly at 19 years old. The stage and the pressure he was under, and who he had to play with on his line mates, and his ability to still succeed under those circumstances. He’s got 81 points in 55 games going into the break. That projects him up for 121 points this season as a 19-year-old. Phenomenal. You look at McDavid and Crosby, both in their second years. They both won the Hart Trophy in their second years… McDavid was 20. Crosby was 19 still. Crosby had 120 points. The difference in these two with McDavid and Crosby winning the MVP was they both won the scoring race and both of their teams made the playoffs. I think for Celebrini, I think he’s going to be in the conversation to be nominated in one of those top threes, but I think if he’s out of the scoring lead, and I don’t know if he can go all the way to the end of the season and win this scoring race, he’s fourth right now. That’s going to be difficult. And for this team to make the playoffs, I just don’t think it’s going to happen.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…