Why Nathan Mackinnon Remains the Hart Trophy Favourite over Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov

The Hart Trophy finalists for 2026 have been confirmed, and the three names will surprise nobody who has closely followed the NHL this season. Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon are the candidates for the award given annually to the player voted most valuable by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. 

All three have delivered extraordinary individual seasons. But when we examine the complete picture across every meaningful statistical category, MacKinnon's case stands out as the most compelling of the three by a clear margin.

Nathan MacKinnon's Numbers Are Simply Impossible to Overlook

MacKinnon led the NHL with 53 goals and finished third in scoring with 127 points across 80 games. His plus-57 rating led all players in the entire league. He also contributed 30 power-play points and seven game-winning goals, producing at a level that consistently changed outcomes.

Colorado won the Presidents' Trophy with the best record in the NHL at 55-16-11, and MacKinnon was the engine behind that dominance. He had at least one point in 61 of his 80 games and posted 20 games with at least three points.

Beyond his individual scoring, MacKinnon contributed significantly to Colorado allowing the fewest goals in the NHL this season. The Avalanche won the William M. Jennings Trophy alongside the Presidents' Trophy, a double achievement that underlines how central MacKinnon was to everything Colorado did.

What separates MacKinnon from the other two finalists is not just his individual production but also the breadth of his contribution. He dominated on the power play, led the league in plus-minus by a wide margin, and did it while playing with a physicality that sets him apart.

Why McDavid and Kucherov Fall Short in Comparison

McDavid led the league in points with 138 and won the Art Ross Trophy for the sixth time in his career. His numbers are staggering. But Edmonton finished with 93 points and was eliminated in the first round, raising legitimate questions about his overall team impact.

Kucherov's 130 points and 1.71 points-per-game average are extraordinary, and his third consecutive finalist nomination reflects consistent elite production. But Colorado's Presidents' Trophy finish and MacKinnon's league-leading plus-57 rating give the Avalanche captain a team-impact edge in this year's voting that neither rival can match.

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar called MacKinnon a "1-of-1" player, someone who combines speed, skill, physicality, and scoring in a way no other player in the league does. The Hart Trophy voters will find it very difficult to look past those numbers when the winner is eventually announced.