If the 2021-2022 season of the National Hockey League (NHL) had ended Thursday evening, Quebecer Jonathan Huberdeau would have won the Art Ross trophy.
• Read also: What CEO could want Shea Weber?
• Read also: NHL: contracts have become heavy and cumbersome
Huberdeau could become the first Quebecer since Martin St-Louis, current interim head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, to win this individual honor which rewards the top scorer in the NHL.
In the history of the circuit, seven players born in the territory of La Belle Province have won the distinction at least once. The legendary Mario Lemieux, of the Pittsburgh Penguins, obviously leads the way with six Art Ross trophies, ahead of Guy Lafleur and his three consecutive conquests with the Canadian.
In the case of Jonathan Huberdeau representing the Florida Panthers, he now has 18 goals and 64 assists for 82 points in 58 games. The Quebecer leads Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers by one point.
“It’s obviously been a great season,” Huberdeau said during press conferences following Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. We collect a lot of points. Everyone collects points in our team. We have a lot of depth.”
By being an accomplice to four of his teammates’ successes in the 6-3 win over the Flyers, the Saint-Jérôme native broke his organization’s record for the number of assists amassed in a single season. He already held the previous mark with 62 assists in 2018-19.
“I’m super happy that we got the victory, reacted Huberdeau. As far as the franchise record goes, it doesn’t really matter.”
Praised by his trainer
The Panthers have been one of the leading teams since the start of hostilities this NHL season. Heading into Friday’s matchup, the Florida club was ranked first in the Atlantic Division and third overall on the Bettman Tour with a 40-13-5 record for 85 points.
According to head coach Andrew Brunette, the successes of the Panthers are intrinsically linked to the performance of Huberdeau.
“He’s extremely selfless,” said the pilot. You don’t get that many assists without being very aware, very intelligent and selfless. He demonstrated all these things tonight [jeudi].”
If he maintains his pace through the end of the campaign and stays healthy, Huberdeau will finish the year with nearly 120 points in 82 games. He would thus pulverize the team record of 96 points in a season, set by teammate Aleksander Barkov in 2018-2019.
Quebec recipients of the Art Ross Trophy:
- Bernard Geoffrion (1955, 1961)
- Jean Beliveau (1956)
- Dickie Moore (1958, 1959)
- Guy Lafleur (1976, 1977, 1978)
- Marcel Dionne (1980)
- Mario Lemieux (1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997)
- Martin St-Louis (2004, 2013)