- Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid are the three finalists for the 2025-26 Hart Memorial Trophy
- McDavid could become the fourth player ever with four Hart wins, joining Eddie Shore, Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky
- Read below for a breakdown of each finalist’s case for league MVP
The 2025-26 Hart Trophy field is set, and the names won’t surprise anyone.
Friday’s announcement made it official: Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov, Colorado Avalanche captain Nathan MacKinnon and Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid are the three finalists for the 2025-26 Hart Memorial Trophy. The Professional Hockey Writers Association handles the voting.
McDavid won the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer, finishing with 138 points (48 goals, 90 assists) in 82 games. He’s a Hart finalist for the seventh time and a three-time winner already (2016-17, 2020-21, 2022-23).
A fourth trophy would put him in rare company. Only Eddie Shore (four), Gordie Howe (six) and Wayne Gretzky (nine) have cleared that bar. Connor Hellebuyck took the Hart home last year.
Here’s a look at McDavid’s 138-point Art Ross campaign:
Kucherov sat right behind McDavid with 130 points (44 goals, 86 assists) in 76 games. The Lightning winger led the NHL in points per game at 1.71 and posted a plus-43 rating that tied for third leaguewide.
His hottest stretch was a 25-point run over 10 games from late December into mid-January. The 32-year-old is a Hart finalist for the third year in a row after finishing third last season and runner-up in 2023-24. He won the thing back in 2018-19.
MacKinnon’s case lives in the goal column. The Avs captain led the NHL with 53 goals and finished third in scoring at 127 points, while running up a league-best plus-57 rating.
Colorado ran away with the Presidents’ Trophy at 55-16-11 and tacked on the William M. Jennings Trophy for fewest goals against. MacKinnon already has a Hart on the shelf from 2023-24 and is now a five-time finalist.
The rest of the award finalists roll out next week, starting Monday with the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award. The Norris Trophy finalists dropped Thursday, with Cale Makar, Rasmus Dahlin and Zach Werenski getting the nod.
