NHL Predictions 2011-12: Top 10 MVP Candidates for the Season

The most valuable player in the NHL is awarded the Hart Trophy at the end of every season, and this year there are many possible candidates for the honor.

Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks won the award last season, and he may have some strong competition this season.

Stars like Sidney Crosby will be returning from injury, and will be prime candidates to win the award.

No goalie has won the Hart Trophy since 2002, when Montreal Canadiens goalie Jose Theodore won. Are there any goalies who have a shot at winning the award in 2011-12?

Let's take a look at the top 10 candidates and find out. 

Nicholas Goss is a Boston Bruins featured columnist for Bleacher Report, and was the organization's on-site reporter for the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals in Boston. Follow him on Twitter for NHL news and analysis. Follow @NicholasGoss35

Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets

Rick Nash is the best power forward in the NHL, and is the leader and best offensive player for the Columbus Blue Jackers.

Nash is a very underrated player, despite having played at a superstar level for several seasons.

The Blue Jackets have been bad throughout their history, and have made the playoffs just once.

With new additions Jeff Carter and James Wisniewski joining Columbus this season, Nash finally has some talented offensive minded players to play alongside.

Nash will help lead the Blue Jackets back to the playoffs, and will put up Hart Trophy worthy numbers along the way.

Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks

Henrik Sedin won the 2010 Hart Trophy as NHL MVP, and didn’t disappoint last season either.

Sedin scored 19 goals with 75 assists last season for 94 points, and should put up similar numbers this season playing alongside twin brother Daniel and Alex Burrows on the Canucks’ first line.

The Canucks have plenty of offensive talent returning this season, and Henrik Sedin will likely be a candidate for the Hart and Art Ross Trophies.

Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

Henrik Lundqvist is the most underrated goalie in the NHL, despite playing for the New York Rangers, one of the league’s most popular teams.

Lundqvist is very fundamentally sound as a goaltender, but also plays with a lot of emotion and passion. He has been nominated for the Vezina Trophy four times but has not won the award.

He has carried the Rangers on his back for his entire career, and has led some average teams to the playoffs.

With an improved offense that should give him more goals to work with, Lundqvist should be able to show the hockey world how valuable he is to the success of the Rangers.

Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks

The lasting memories of the 2010-11 season for Daniel Sedin will be his lackluster performances in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Boston Bruins, as he was unable to carry the Canucks to their first ever Cup title.

Sedin was a Hart Trophy finalist last season, and scored 41 goals and dished out 63 assists for 104 points.

His 104 points last year were good enough to win the scoring title, and were 19 more than he had in 2009-10.

Brad Richards, New York Rangers

Brad Richards was the most coveted free agent of the summer, and was signed by the New York Rangers.

He will be reunited with head coach John Tortorella, who Richards won the Stanley Cup with in 2004 when they were with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Richards will be the number one center the Rangers have desperately needed for years, and will almost certainly see an improvement in goals and assists this season.

He will be playing with more offensive talent in New York this year than he did with the Dallas Stars last season.

Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins

Tim Thomas had one of the best seasons ever by an NHL goalie last year, and was the primary reason the Boston Bruins won their first Stanley Cup title in 39 years.

Thomas set the league record for save percentage, which among other stats helped him win the Vezina Trophy as hockey’s most outstanding goaltender.

Thomas showed that when healthy he can be the best goalie in the league, and entering a new season as the starter and full of confidence, Thomas will once again carry the Bruins deep into the playoffs.

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby was unable to help the Pittsburgh Penguins 2011 playoff run because he was recovering from a concussion, but he should be back in time for the season opener this fall.

If Crosby is healthy, he will once again be a strong candidate for the Hart Trophy.

Not only is Crosby a great goal scorer, he is an exquisite passer and playmaker.

In only 41 games last season, Crosby scored 32 goals with 34 assists for 66 points.

Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning

Steven Stamkos is the best young offensive player in the NHL, and over the past two seasons has scored 96 goals.

He just signed a new five year contract to remain with the Lightning, and the future is bright for the organization with Stamkos leading the way.

Stamkos will score 60 goals next season, and will be the catalyst for one of hockey’s most potent offenses.

It would also be no surprise to see Stamkos develop into a solid two-way forward as well.

Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau is looking for Alexander Ovechkin to be more of a two-way forward this season, and contribute more to the Capitals than scoring.

Ovechkin plays with so much passion, and is eager to prove he can be a big time player.

While he may not score as many goals as he usually does this season, Ovechkin will become a more complete player and do a little bit of everything to help the Capitals go deep into the playoffs.

Ovechkin will still reach at least 80 points, but his improving defensive abilities will really make him a worthy Hart Trophy candidate.

Corey Perry, Anaheim Ducks

Corey Perry won the Hart Trophy last season, as he led the Anaheim Ducks in scoring, tallying 50 goals scored and 48 assists.

Perry is now a superstar player with the all-around ability to affect games by scoring goals and being a playmaker.

The Ducks are ready to improve on last year’s performance, and Perry will lead the charge with other talented young Ducks forwards such as Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan.

Perry is an elite young player and may even score 60 goals this season for the Ducks.