Trophy Tracker: MacKinnon of Avalanche remains choice for Hart as NHL MVP

To mark the halfway point of the 2025-26 regular season, NHL.com is running its third installment of the Trophy Tracker series this week. Today, we look at the race for the Hart Trophy, given annually to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team as voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Nathan MacKinnon is still the top candidate for the Hart Trophy, but the gap between him and the rest of the field has slimmed considerably since the Colorado Avalanche center was a runaway favorite at the quarter mark.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid and San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini are on his tail.

MacKinnon received 10 out of a possible 16 first-place votes from the NHL.com staff writers who participate in the Trophy Tracker series. At the quarter mark, he was first on 14 of the 16 ballots submitted.

McDavid and Celebrini each received three first-place votes. Neither of them received a first-place vote at the quarter mark. The other two at the time went to David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins.

This time, MacKinnon received 73 out of a possible 240 voting points. He received 70 at the quarter mark, but that was 30 more than the next best finisher, who was Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard.

"He finds ways, different ways to elevate every night," Colorado defenseman Cale Makar said after a 5-1 win against the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 21, when MacKinnon scored his 30th goal of the season. "It's pretty spectacular to be a part of that, and glad I'm going to be here to supplement it."

MacKinnon's lead is down to 14 points with McDavid receiving 59 and Celebrini 56 in the midseason vote.

So, it's tight between three centers who will represent Canada at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. But MacKinnon is still ahead, and it's reasonable to conclude he is because his play this season has directly contributed to the Avalanche being the best team in the NHL.

"Obviously, I'm just trying to be the best player I can for this team," MacKinnon said after scoring his 400th NHL goal on Dec. 31. "We got a [Stanley Cup] three years ago, and it'd be nice to get another one."

Colorado leads the NHL in wins (32), regulation wins (29), points (71), points percentage (.826), goals for (174), goals against (95) goals for per game (4.05), goals-against per game (2.21) and shots on goal per game (34.4). Their four regulation losses are also the fewest in the NHL.

MacKinnon plays a role in every one of those measurables for success.

He leads the League with 36 goals and 78 points, one ahead of McDavid. His 1.81 points per game are the most in the League, a tick ahead of McDavid's 1.75 and Celebrini's 1.56, which is fourth.

McDavid has caught up by going on an absolute tear with 41 points, including 18 goals, during a current 17-game point streak. But even in that stretch, the Oilers have lost more games in regulation (five) than the Avalanche have all season.

"He's playing extremely well and if he's ramping it up even more, I'm afraid for the opposition (at the Olympics)," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said of McDavid on Dec. 31. "He's just been tenacious, wanting to make something happen every shift. He's hungry to score goals, and every time he has the puck, he's driving the net and if he can't get to the net, he's looking to make the next play. He's a very driven player, very focused, which is the case for him all the time, but is taking it to another level right now with how well he's playing."

MacKinnon has dominated at even strength, leading the League in even strength goals (29) and points (58). His even-strength goal differential is an NHL-best plus-53, on the ice for 76 scored and 23 against.

Celebrini is third in the League with 67 points. He has 20 goals (tied for second) and 49 points (second) at even strength, and he also has a plus-23 even strength goal differential (59-36).

"You saw it right away. What he's been doing is obviously very exciting for this city and this organization and the fans and for us players as well," Sharks defenseman John Klingberg said of Celebrini on Dec. 31. "Ever since Day 1, I think he has been driving the bus. It is easy to follow him."

McDavid is tied for second with Celebrini with 20 even-strength goals and is tied for fourth with 42 even-strength points. But his goal differential at even strength is plus-3, having been on the ice for 52 scored and 49 against.

McDavid, though, is first in the NHL with 33 points on the power play. MacKinnon has 20, and Celebrini has 18.

It all adds up to MacKinnon ahead in the Hart Trophy race, but this isn't a landslide anymore with a little less than half the season remaining.

"It's unreal," Makar said after MacKinnon had two goals and three assists in a 5-4 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 9. "He's finding ways to put the puck in the back of the net, going to the right areas, and driving the play too. It's definitely amazing to play with that guy every night."

Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis): Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche, 73 points (10 first-place votes); Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers, 59 (3), Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks, 56 (3); Mikko Rantanen, Dallas Stars, 15; Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning, 9; Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks, 5; Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars, 4; Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets, 4; Morgan Geekie, Boston Bruins, 2; David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins, 2; Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild, 2; Leo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks, 2; Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers, 2; Matthew Schaefer, New York Islanders, 1; Brad Marchand, Florida Panthers, 1; Tim Stutzle, Ottawa Senators, 1; Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche, 1; Scott Wedgewood, Colorado Avalanche, 1