Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov wins 2025-26 Hart Trophy
One of the premier playmakers in the game is taking home one of hockey’s greatest honors.
On Thursday night, the NHL announced that Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov is the recipient of the 2025-26 Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player.
Nikita Kucherov is the Hart Memorial Trophy winner for the second time in his career! 🏆 #NHLAwards The Hart Trophy is awarded annually to the League MVP.
It marks the second time Kucherov has been named MVP, putting him in an elite class that includes Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin as the only active players to win the Hart twice.
Kucherov had some stiff competition to beat out for the honor this year. He was up against McDavid, the Art Ross Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award winner, as well as Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, who won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. Kucherov beat out McDavid by a whole 10 votes.
It’s not as if the Russian winger had an off year. While he came up short of winning the Art Ross for a third year in a row, and didn’t reach his career-best 144 points from the 2023-24 season, Kucherov matched his career-high in goals (44) in 76 games, notching 86 assists while finishing second to McDavid in league scoring with 130 points, the second-most in his illustrious career.
Kucherov was a key part in helping the Lightning go from a Wild Card team back to the top of the Atlantic Division. The team finished second in the division, though Tampa was ultimately eliminated in the first round by the Montreal Canadiens.
The 32-year-old has scored 401 goals and 723 assists for 1,124 points in 879 regular-season games in the NHL, with another 177 points in 159 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He’s helped the Bolts win Lord Stanley in 2020 and 2021, is a two-time Ted Lindsay Award winner, and has claimed the Art Ross three times.