Nathan MacKinnon is now one of only 17 players in NHL history who's been a Hart trophy finalist 4+ times in the span of 7 seasons (descending order):
- Bobby Orr (7 times in 7 seasons - 1969 to 1975)
- Wayne Gretzky (7 times in 7 seasons - multiple, but latest was 1983 to 1989)
- Gordie Howe (6 times in 7 seasons - multiple, but latest was 1960 to 1966)
- Bobby Hull (6 times in 7 seasons - 1962 to 1968)
- Phil Esposito (5 times in 6 seasons - 1969 to 1974)
- Jaromir Jagr (5 times in 7 seasons - 1995 to 2001)
- Sidney Crosby (5 times in 7 seasons - 2013 to 2019)
- Connor McDavid (5 times in 7 seasons - multiple, but latest was 2018 to 2024)
- Dominik Hasek (5 times in 6 seasons - 1994 to 1999)
- Guy Lafleur (4 times in 4 seasons - 1976 to 1979)
- Bobby Clarke (4 times in 5 seasons - 1973 to 1977)
- Eddie Shore (4 times in 6 seasons - 1933 to 1938)
- Maurice Richard (4 times in 6 seasons - 1950 to 1955)
- Jean Beliveau (4 times in 6 seasons - 1964 to 1969)
- Alexander Ovechkin (4 times in 6 seasons - 2008 to 2013)
- Bryan Trottier (4 times in 7 seasons - 1978 to 1984)
- Nathan MacKinnon (4 times in 7 seasons - 2018 to 2024)
In case anyone is wondering - Mario Lemieux was a Hart finalist 4 times in 5 seasons that he played in (1993 to 2001). But that covers 9 NHL seasons.
If MacKinnon loses the Hart - he's going to set the record for most years as a Hart trophy finalist, without ever winning (this will potentially be his 4th time). There are three players who were finalists three times without winning - Red Kelly, Ray Bourque, and Martin Brodeur.