Trophy Tracker: Kucherov of Lightning choice for Hart as League MVP

To mark the three-quarter point of the 2025-26 regular season, NHL.com is running its fourth 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 the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Dead heat. Possible photo finish.

The race for the Hart Trophy this season has a chance to be the closest in 24 years if the final quarter of the season is anything like the first three, according to a 16-person panel from NHL.com.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid each finished this round of voting with 59 points. Kucherov, though, finished with the slight edge to win the MVP award because he received six first-place votes to McDavid’s three.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon was only two points behind and also received six first-place votes. San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini also received a first-place vote and 42 voting points.

“Tough call,” TNT analyst Brian Boucher said. “I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them. Might be the tightest in a long time.”

It could be the closest vote since 2001-02, which is the only time the Hart Trophy has been decided by the first-place votes tiebreaker. Jose Theodore, then a goalie for the Montreal Canadiens, and former Calgary Flames forward Jarome Iginla each finished with 434 voting points. Theodore won the award because he had 86 first-place votes to Iginla’s 82.

One voting point separated winner Chris Pronger from runner-up Jaromir Jagr in 1999-2000, and two voting points were the difference between Mark Messier besting Ray Bourque for the Hart Trophy in 1989-90.

Go all the way back to the 1923-24, the first season the award was presented, and you’ll find that Frank Nighbor won the Hart Trophy with 37 votes ahead of Sprague Cleghorn’s 36 and John Ross Roach’s 35.

In 1931-32, Howie Morenz won it with 39 votes, one ahead of Ching Johnson’s 38.

This one could be as close as those years.

Even in a poll of broadcasters and analysts, the field was wide open.

NHL Network’s Mike Rupp said he would pick Celebrini right now, but he had no argument against Kucherov, who is third in the League with 106 points (34 goals, 72 assists) in 60 games with the Lightning, who are second in the Atlantic Division behind the Buffalo Sabres.

Boucher’s initial choice was “McDavid slightly over MacKinnon, I suppose.”

McDavid leads the League with 111 points (37 goals, 74 assists) in 67 games. MacKinnon is second with 108 points (44 goals, 64 assists) in 63 games.

The Oilers are third in the Pacific Division. The Avalanche have been the top team in the League all season and remain the leading contender to win the President’s Trophy.

“It’s a tough call,” Boucher said.

Brian Boyle, who does work for NHL Network and MSG Networks, said he agreed with the voting done by the NHL.com panel with Kucherov ever so slightly ahead of McDavid, who was ever so slightly ahead of MacKinnon.

“‘Kuch’ is my pick, usually,” Boyle said. “MacKinnon was running away with it early.”

But Boyle, too, has his eyes on Celebrini, who is fifth in the NHL with 91 points (33 goals, 58 assists) in 63 games.

The Sharks were not expected to be anywhere near the playoff race. They currently hold the second wild card in the Western Conference.

“He has 91 points and a plus-6 on that team,” Boyle said. “And the next guy (Will Smith) has 45 [points].”

Kevin Weekes of ESPN and NHL Network was emphatic in his choice of Celebrini.

“Celebrini is Rudolph with a limited lineup of reindeer,” Weekes said.

But …

“Kuch is incredible,” Weekes said.

It’s all setting up for a frantic finish and a tight vote for the League’s most valuable player to his team this season.

“So very close,” Rupp said.

Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis): Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning, 59 points (6 first-place votes); Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers, 59 (3); Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche, 57 (6); Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks, 42 (1); Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild, 7; David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins, 4; Matthew Schaefer, New York Islanders, 4; Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres, 3; Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets, 2; Leon Draisaitl, Oilers, 1; Mikko Rantanen, Dallas Stars, 1; Quinn Hughes, Wild, 1