Despite another sensational season, Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon will not repeat as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player. In a surprising twist, MacKinnon didn’t even land among the top three finalists for the Hart Trophy, which is awarded to the league’s MVP.
The NHL announced the final candidates on Thursday: Leon Draisaitl, Connor Hellebuyck, and Nikita Kucherov — all standout players. Still, MacKinnon’s omission raised eyebrows across the hockey world.
Throughout a chaotic year for the Avalanche that included nine trades orchestrated by GM Chris MacFarland, MacKinnon served as the team’s anchor. He finished second in the league with 116 points, despite sitting out the final three regular-season games as a precaution. Kucherov led the NHL with 121 points, while Draisaitl posted 106. Both MacKinnon and Kucherov tied for the league lead in assists with 84 — a full nine ahead of the next closest player.
While Hellebuyck had an exceptional season in goal, his inclusion sparked debate, as goaltenders already have the Vezina Trophy designated for their position. Critics argue that awarding them MVP consideration might unfairly edge out elite skaters.
MacKinnon was widely viewed as a strong candidate to become the first player since Alex Ovechkin in 2008 to win the Hart in back-to-back seasons. However, he ultimately didn’t garner enough votes to be nominated. The final results and full voting breakdown will be revealed in June, with MacKinnon likely finishing fourth.
There’s still a silver lining: both MacKinnon and teammate Cale Makar are finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, which is voted on by fellow NHL players and honors the league’s most outstanding player.
In the end, MacKinnon’s focus remains on postseason success. With the Avalanche trailing 3–2 in their first-round matchup against the Dallas Stars, he’ll be more concerned with helping his team advance than individual accolades. A comeback in the series would certainly shift the narrative — and perhaps make the Hart Trophy snub a distant memory.
