Key facts
- Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP.
- This marks the second time Kucherov has received this honor.
- Kucherov led the league in points per game with 1.71.
- He finished the season with 44 goals and 86 assists for 130 points.
- Connor McDavid was the runner-up in the voting.
Nikita Kucherov, forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning, has been awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player for the second time in his career. The announcement was made by the league on Thursday. Kucherov led all NHL players with an average of 1.71 points per game, accumulating 44 goals and 86 assists for a total of 130 points during the regular season.
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid finished as the runner-up, just 10 points behind Kucherov with 138 points. Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon secured third place in the voting, followed by San Jose Sharks player Macklin Celebrini in fourth. Kucherov's point total was 42 points higher than his closest teammate, Jake Guentzel. This marks Kucherov's second Hart Trophy, having previously won it in 2019. He was also a finalist in the previous two seasons.