The Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox have combined to win 36 regular-season MVP awards, won by 21 different athletes.
Boston’s four teams have combined for 12 championships this century, titles achieved with team-oriented play on turf, grass, parquet and ice.
Yet even the most together squads don’t claim the ultimate prize without star power, although only five or six regular season MVPs went to Boston athletes this century. The discrepancy depends on whether you want to count the Hart Trophy won in 2005-06 by Joe Thornton, traded from the Bruins to the Sharks 23 games into the season. So we’ll call it five.
Tom Brady won three (2007,2010,2017). Dustin Pedroia was American League MVP in 2008, Mookie Betts in 2018.
Brady is with the Buccaneers, Betts with the Dodgers. Chances don’t look good that Pedroia will be able to overcome knee woes to resume his career, so the next Boston MVP winner won’t be a repeat selection. The four teams have boasted 37 MVPs, won by 21 different athletes, not counting Thornton.
The multi-year MVPs: Bill Russell (five), Eddie Shore (four), Larry Bird (three), Brady (three), Bobby Orr (three), Phil Esposito (two), Ted Williams (two) and Bill Cowley (two).
The 22nd athlete from one of Boston’s four teams to win regular-season MVP? Here’s a look at the candidates, listed in order of the probability:
1. David Pastrnak: It’s possible that the Bruins’ forward could make this a short competition by winning this season’s Hart Trophy, but not likely. Leon Draisaital of the Oilers put a little distance on the field with a four-goal night against the Predators in his first game in the month of March. Nathan McKinnon of the Avalanche also has a strong case. Pastrnak and the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin shared the NHL goal lead with 48 when the league hit the pause button.
