2025-26 Hart Memorial Trophy finalists: Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon (upd: Kucherov wins 2nd) Mod Warning in OP

[Hockey Outsider]

This was the 3rd closest Hart trophy voting result (from 1947 to 2026) when comparing the winner vs the runner up:

Also, I don't have a way to present the data cleanly, but this was the closest Hart race ever - at least going back 80 years - when comparing the spread between 1st and 3rd place. (The gap in the vote shares was just 7.0%). Only two other races have a gap of less than 10% - 2000 (Pronger vs Jagr and Bure) and 2013 (Ovechkin vs Crosby and Tavares).

 

[VainGretzky]

Kucherov also wasn't given serious PP time until midway through that third season, that's when he finally moved up to the 1st line as well. He spent a lot of time in Coopers doghouse because of the risky offensive plays he tried to make, if he starts his career in a different organization he probably ends up breaking out a lot faster.

Like I said McDavid is in a league of his own career wise 3rd behind only Gretzky and Lemieux not taking any thing for Kucherov it took him 5 seasons at the age of 25 to hit 100 points in his career Crosby was 19 McDavid was 20 Mackinnon was 27 Draisaitl was 24 their is a difference between franchise players and elite

 

[VainGretzky]

I will also add Crosby 1st 9 seasons at at the peak prime age before Injuries took some effect on him he was 128 point pace over 82
McDavid was 125point pace 2 true franchise players

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

It's as if the voters tell themselves "we can't give the Hart to McDavid every season", and another player who's close to deserving the award benefits.

 

[Booker T]

Guessing both players care more about cups than regular reason awards. Only fans care about meaningless awards like this.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Not many sports journalists are mental heavyweights. Those 3 voters either don't take their vote seriously, are playing game with their vote, or are completely stupid.

I think a lot of of people vote for certain players to be able to gain more access to those players. Some players remember who did or didn't vote for them on major awards.

 

[ItWasJustified]

MacKinnon deserved it. Most dominant player this regular season.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

I have no issue if someone gave him a top 5 vote...voting him first no matter your criteria is laughable unless you just want attention which this writer got

 

[Nervousbreakdown]

MacKinnon deserved it. Most dominant player this regular season.

I like to think some petty canadian sports writers left him off the ballot because he missed that wide open net in the gold medal game lol

I think a lot of of people vote for certain players to be able to gain more access to those players. Some players remember who did or didn't vote for them on major awards.

wouldnt shock me at all.

I have no issue if someone gave him a top 5 vote...voting him first no matter your criteria is laughable unless you just want attention which this writer got

not even the worst ballot, its dumb logic but that avs reporter who had 3 avs players on her hart ballot, jesus christ. and avs fans on twitter defending it. That ballot implies the writer believed the 2nd and 3rd most valuable players on the avs were more crucial to their team's success than the best player on 29 other teams.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Waiting to see the names of 2 voters who left Kucherov off their ballot altogether

The results are now available -

The two writers who excluded Kucherov from their ballot were:

• Dave Levesque from Montreal - really not a good look that he excluded Kucherov, but found room for Montreal's Nick Suzuki (at least Suzuki appeared on 50+ other ballots)
• Dylan Loucks from Minnesota - also not a good look excluding Kucherov, while being one of only two people who voted for Minnesota's Quinn Hughes

The ballot that shows the most obvious homerism is Meghan Angley (Colorado). Three of her five votes went to Avalanche players! She's the only person (out of 198) who voted for Scott Wedgewood, and Gabriel Landeskog. Would be interested in hearing how Landeskog's 35 points were more valuable than, say, Macklin Celebrini's season.

 

[PaulD]

Celebrini not being nominated is wild. He should win it! Otherwise, honestly, I probably give it to McDavid. I know he's a boring pick but even with Draisaitl - who was injured at the end - he still has the least to work with your overall.

turning into best player on lousey team award

 

[KaseMeOutside]

The results are now available -

The two writers who excluded Kucherov from their ballot were:

• Dave Levesque from Montreal - really not a good look that he excluded Kucherov, but found room for Montreal's Nick Suzuki (at least Suzuki appeared on 50+ other ballots)
• Dylan Loucks from Minnesota - also not a good look excluding Kucherov, while being one of only two people who voted for Minnesota's Quinn Hughes

The ballot that shows the most obvious homerism is Meghan Angley (Colorado). Three of her five votes went to Avalanche players! She's the only person (out of 198) who voted for Scott Wedgewood, and Gabriel Landeskog. Would be interested in hearing how Landeskog's 35 points were more valuable than, say, Macklin Celebrini's season.

She should never be allowed to vote again if she's gonna treat this as a joke

 

[wetcoast]

He actually did care. After the '89 awards, he complained, "Nothing in this League makes sense."

Mind you, in '91 Gretzky won the Art Ross by 32 points, had the highest assists total of all-time [except for himself], led his club by 72 points in scoring, had the 4th-highest plus-minus among forwards, and his club finished in 1st place for the first time ever... and he didn't win the Hart. (The guy who beat him was the second-highest per game scorer on his own team.)

Gretzky didn't play for the Blues that season and Brett Hull did score 86 goals and his goal scoring peak gets under appreciated at times....probably because of Gretzky and Mario being in the league at the same time.

If those 2 guys didn't exist my bet is that Brett Hulls peak goal scoring would be more revered than it is.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

I have no issue if someone gave him a top 5 vote...voting him first no matter your criteria is laughable unless you just want attention which this writer got

He’s more deserving of a first place vote than landeskog is of a 5th place vote

 

[a mangy Meowth]

She's incredibly stupid

 

[Miami Wice]

It is fine. Different people have different criteria for what they think is most valuable player to team.
With social media there is too much group think and hive mind mentality.

It is easily conceivable that some would think Habs overperforming this year is due to brilliant 2 way play and leadership from Nick Suzuki.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Kooch pouting with his hoodie on was so bad they had to shoot some cinematic intro

 

[The Panther]

Gretzky didn't play for the Blues that season

Sorry, why this comment...?

 

[wetcoast]

Sorry, why this comment...?

I looked back and with your questioning it appears I misread your post as at first glance it looked like you were talking about Gretzky's team mate which didn't make sense, my bad I misread it.

Hull BTW was a worthy winner that year had an all time type of goal scoring season and impact.

Brett had goals in 56 games that year and in Gretzky's best ever 92 goal year he scored in 55 games just for contrast.