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McDavid, Kucherov, MacKinnon Named Hart Finalists

5/9/2026

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Summary

McDavid Leads Hart

The NHL announced Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon as 2025-26 Hart Trophy finalists and set award ceremony for June 25 in Las Vegas.
McDavid led the league with 138 points in 82 games and has a 53 % win chance.
Kucherov posted 130 points in 76 games, second-highest total, and is the 2018-19 Hart winner.
MacKinnon recorded 127 points in 80 games, with 53 goals, and is the 2023-24 Hart winner.

Summary

Avalanche Wins Trophy

The Colorado Avalanche won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top regular-season team.
Nathan MacKinnon recorded a career-high +57 plus/minus rating, a career-best 15.1% shooting percentage, and 53 goals.
He amassed 97 even-strength points, the most in the NHL since 1991.
The Avalanche remain unbeaten in the postseason with a perfect 6-0 record.

History

Historical Context

In 1991-92 the Pittsburgh Penguins captured the Presidents’ Trophy and Mario Lemieux won the Hart Memorial Trophy with a league-leading 131 points, guiding a 44-24-12 record to 100 points. The pattern mirrors later trends, such as the Colorado Avalanche’s Presidents’ Trophy wins and the observation that Presidents’ Trophy teams frequently earn deep playoff runs. These parallels show how top-seeded clubs shape postseason expectations.

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McDavid Leads Hart

The NHL announced Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon as 2025-26 Hart Trophy finalists and set award ceremony for June 25 in Las Vegas.
McDavid led the league with 138 points in 82 games and has a 53 % win chance.
Kucherov posted 130 points in 76 games, second-highest total, and is the 2018-19 Hart winner.
MacKinnon recorded 127 points in 80 games, with 53 goals, and is the 2023-24 Hart winner.

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