This Year’s Playoffs Could See a Former Hart Trophy Winner Face Off Against Ex-Team
As the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs loom large, one storyline is starting to gain serious traction: the possibility of a former Hart Trophy winner going head-to-head against his former team in what could be one of the most emotionally charged matchups of the postseason.
While playoff brackets are yet to be finalized, the current standings and potential seeding scenarios hint at a tantalizing reunion: Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers could potentially square off against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team that now employs former Hart Trophy winner Auston Matthews. Alternatively, if other matchups shift, we could see Taylor Hall, another former Hart recipient, take on the New Jersey Devils — the franchise where he reached his MVP peak in 2018.
These potential matchups go beyond just skill or strategy — they’re about history, pride, and redemption.
Auston Matthews, who claimed the Hart Trophy in 2022 after a remarkable 60-goal season with the Maple Leafs, stunned the hockey world when he was traded last offseason to the Western Conference. The breakup was reportedly mutual — Matthews was seeking a fresh start and a chance to compete for a Cup in a new environment, while the Leafs needed cap flexibility and roster depth. Fast forward to April 2025, and the idea that Matthews could return to Toronto as a visiting playoff opponent has both fans and analysts buzzing.
For Matthews, the stakes are deeply personal. Despite his individual accolades, postseason success eluded him in Toronto, where first-round exits became an annual heartbreak. Facing his old team in the playoffs would give him a rare shot at rewriting the narrative — and perhaps settling some unfinished business.
Then there’s Taylor Hall, whose electrifying 2017-18 season with the Devils earned him the league’s most valuable player honors. After bouncing around the league in subsequent years, Hall has found a role on a contending roster. Should the stars align, and his current team meet the Devils in a playoff clash, it would serve as a full-circle moment for a player who once carried New Jersey on his back.
These possible storylines inject added drama into an already thrilling time of year. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are always filled with tension, but when personal history is added to the mix — especially involving former MVPs facing old teams — the intensity reaches a whole new level.
Whether it’s Matthews in Toronto or Hall against the Devils, hockey fans may be in for a dramatic dose of poetic playoff justice.
