NEW YORK (May 8, 2026) – Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid – the same trio as in 2023-24 – are the three finalists for the 2025-26 Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team,” the National Hockey League announced today.
Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association submitted ballots for the Hart Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists.
Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning
Kucherov finished second in the NHL with 44-86—130 in 76 games – 42 points more than his closest teammate (Jake Guentzel: 38-50—88 in 81 GP) – to power the Lightning to their ninth straight playoff berth. Kucherov’s 42-point edge was the second-largest gap between a team’s top two scorers in 2025-26, trailing just the 56-point difference between Macklin Celebrini (45-70—115 in 82 GP) and Will Smith (24-35—59 in 69 GP) of the San Jose Sharks. Kucherov, who found the scoresheet in 60 of his 76 appearances (78.9%), additionally ranked among the League leaders in points per game (1st; 1.71), even-strength assists (1st; 57), multi-assist performances (t-1st; 25), assists (2nd; 86), even-strength points (2nd; 92), multi-point performances (2nd; 40), plus/minus (t-3rd; +43), even-strength goals (4th; 35), power-play assists (4th; 29), multi-goal performances (t-4th; 8), power-play points (6th; 37), game-winning goals (t-7th; 8) and goals (8th; 44). Kucherov, who totaled 44-100—144 in 2023-24 (81 GP), became the 10th player in League history to produce multiple 130-point seasons. He also became the 17th-fastest player in NHL history to reach both the 1,000-point (809 GP on Oct. 25 vs. ANA) and 1,100-point (863 GP on March 12 vs. DET) milestones. The 32-year-old Kucherov, a finalist for the third straight season (3rd in 2024-25 and 2nd in 2023-24) after claiming the award in 2018-19, is seeking to become the third player in NHL history to go seven-plus years between Hart Trophy wins, after Jean Beliveau (8 years, 1955-56 and 1963-64) and Sidney Crosby (7 years, 2006-07 and 2013-14).
