Nathan MacKinnon, Hart Memorial Trophy
The Hart Trophy is given out annually “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team,” and MacKinnon undoubtedbly fits the bill for his performance this season. After taking home this prize in 2024, the 29-year-old could have been the first player to win the award in back-to-back years since Alex Ovechkin did it in 2008 and 2009.
There's no arguing that Leon Draisaitl, Nikita Kucherov and Connor Hellebuyck had outstanding seasons individually but, given MacKinnon's impact on his team, it's surprising that he was not considered for the Hart. He is, however, in contention for the Ted Lindsay Award based on the opinions of fellow NHL skaters.
The early goings of the season looked grim for the Avalanche, who had a record of 6-8-0 through the first 14 games. But the club rallied to finish third in the Central Division, led by MacKinnon's insane offensive contributions. MacKinnon put up three different five-point performances during the season, and the Avs won every single game that he collected at least three points (which he did 14 times).
His numbers are even more meaningful considering that Colorado's second-in-command Mikko Rantanen left the team via trade just past the halfway mark of the season. Rantanen was on pace for a 107-point season, and after losing him, MacKinnon recorded 41 points in the final 30 games.
In total, the 29-year-old finished second only to Kucherov with 116 points in 79 games. His 84 assists tied the Lightning forward for most in the NHL.
It's likely that teammate Cale Makar took some of the spotlight as the NHL's highest-scoring defenseman this year. But that didn't stop anyone from awarding the Hart to MacKinnon last season, despite a similarly explosive campaign from Makar.
MacKinnon is highly-regarded as one of the league's most elite scorers, and his value to the Avalanche cannot be understated. Given his major influence on Colorado's ability to win games, he is deserving of acknowledgment as a potential MVP candidate.