Hartless: How the 1989 Hart Voting Rewrote History

Postby **Sam's Drunk Dog** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:02 pm

http://www.lcshockey.com/content/062315hart.asp

"Nothing in this league makes sense."1

Mario Lemieux spoke those words after watching a tearful Wayne Gretzky accept the 1989 Hart Trophy, his ninth league MVP. Lemieux, the 1988 Hart winner, had dominated Gretzky in the scoring race and had led his Pittsburgh Penguins to a franchise-best 40 wins and their first playoff appearance in six seasons. It wasn't enough. Lemieux finished a distant second in the Hart voting, receiving just 18 of the 63 first-place votes. He was left off two ballots entirely.

Postby **Tico Rick** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:28 pm

I thought the vote was BS back then and I still think so now.

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:37 pm

Gretzky took a team from worst to first, that makes a difference in the eyes of the voters...

Postby **slappybrown** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:44 pm

Left off two ballots entirely

Ok

Postby **Avyran** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 11:08 pm

Gretzky took a team from worst to first, that makes a difference in the eyes of the voters...

Just like Dubnyk this year.

(Not directed at ya, mikey, no worries.)

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 11:13 pm

No, it's true. Whether it's right or wrong is a matter for the courts...

Postby **Gaucho** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:24 am

Left off two ballots entirely

Ok

I didn't know that. Terrifying.

Postby **Sam's Drunk Dog** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:27 am

That season was probably the closest we got to see Gretzky and Lemieux on equal footing, and Mario dominated. Mario was younger which might have made a difference, but Gretzky was still in his prime.

Postby **Kicksave** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:06 am

When did LCS Hockey come back?

Postby **llipgh2** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:28 am

The Lester B. Pearson award carries some weight, because the players vote for it. The rest of the awards are worthless, imho.

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:20 am

For discussion: The Vezina has been voted on by the GMs since 1983. Is that a not worthless award?

Also, the Pearson/Lindsay has had a number of "goofs" in its history as well...I hate to base this on just stats, but short on time, this is the easiest way...

- Bobby Orr won it one time. (including a loss in his NHL-leading assists season and 117 point season...to Jean Ratelle...)
- Mario Lemieux won it a grand total of twice.
- Gretzky's explosion on the scene in 1981 (164 points, his 109 assists were more than almost every player had points), but he lost to Mike Liut...who did not lead the league in wins or GAA and I don't believe he led in save pct. I'll have to check my notes at home...
- The very same season (1989) we're talking about as fraudulent because Mario didn't win the Hart, Steve Yzerman won the Pearson.

Postby **Craig** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:31 am

All of the voted on awards are pointless. Plenty of players are dumb. Its cool to get a trophy for the stat categories but other than that the cup is all that matters.

Postby **Jim** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:51 am

The Norris trophy should never go to a Dman that a majority of top line forwards can skate around like he was not there. The Year Mike Green was nominated was the year that I stopped caring.