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NEW YORK — Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP, the second such honor of his career after also winning in 2019.
The league announced the news Thursday before Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Kucherov led all players with 1.71 points a game on 44 goals and 86 assists. With 130 points, he ranked second only to the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid, who had 138.
McDavid was a close second by 10 points in voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon was third and San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini fourth.
Kucherov had 42 more points than his next-closest teammate, Jake Guentzel. He was third in Hart Trophy voting a year ago and second in 2023-24.
