NEW YORK — Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon and Tampa Bay winger Nikita Kucherov are the finalists for this season’s Hart Memorial Trophy, the NHL announced Friday.
The award is given out annually to the player deemed most valuable to his team.
McDavid led the NHL with 90 assists and 138 points in 82 games, capturing his sixth Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer.
MacKinnon topped the league with 53 goals and added 74 assists in 80 games, leading the Avalanche to a franchise-record 121-point season and the Presidents’ Trophy as the best regular-season team.
Kucherov led the Lightning with 130 points (44 goals and 86 assists) in 76 games.
McDavid is looking to become the fourth player in NHL history with at least four Hart Trophies, after Wayne Gretzky (nine), Gordie Howe (six) and Eddie Shore (four). Kucherov and MacKinnon have each won the award once.
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck won the award in the 2024-25 season.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2026.
