The NHL's most valuable player award winners usually have one thing in common: They aren't goaltenders or defensemen.
There are all sorts of justifications for the Hart Trophy almost exclusively going to forwards: Like the fact that goalies and defensemen have their own awards or the classic "a goalie could be MVP every season!" harangue. The bottom line is that of the past 30 Hart Trophies, four went to goaltenders and one went to a defenseman.
That trend could be bucked this season, however. Not only is a goaltender leading the pack for the Hart, two defensemen are getting some MVP consideration as well.