Nikita Kucherov leads NHL Hart Trophy race ahead of Connor McDavid
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov has taken the lead in the race for the NHL’s Hart Trophy MVP award ahead of the final week of the 2025-26 regular season.
The Russian forward earned approximately 50% of first-place votes in the final anonymous poll of Professional Hockey Writers Association members.
Kucherov powers Lightning playoff push
He has been the primary catalyst for his team this season, registering 128 points in just 74 games.
This impressive haul puts him a staggering 41 points ahead of Jake Guentzel, the franchise’s next highest scorer.
“In a year in which the Lightning have dealt with so many key injuries and absences, Kucherov has been the driving force to getting Tampa Bay into a playoff spot.”
Another voter emphasised that the Florida-based outfit would not be comfortably positioned in the postseason picture without their talismanic attacker.
MacKinnon fades as McDavid surges
Colorado Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon previously held the top spot for four months but has slipped at the crucial final hurdle.
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid now sits second in the voting, securing around 35% of the first-place nominations.
The Canadian superstar elevated his game significantly following a lower-body injury to teammate Leon Draisaitl in mid-March.
McDavid recorded 10 goals and nine assists in a crucial 12-game stretch, successfully clinching a seventh consecutive playoff berth for his side.
“This is the tightest Hart race I’ve ever voted on. Felt all season this was Nathan MacKinnon’s to lose.”
One voter noted that the late surges from his rivals have transformed the award race into an unpredictable photo finish.
