NHL Hart Trophy finalists: 2025 MVP contenders include goalie Connor Hellebuyck
The finalists for the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP to this team feature two former winners and the rare inclusion of a goaltender.
Goalies usually don't win the Hart Trophy because they have their own award, the Vezina Trophy. Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is a finalist for both awards this season after recording 47 wins, tied for second most in league history.
Advertisement
Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, the league's leading goal scorer, and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, who led the league in points for a second consecutive season, are the other finalists.
The NHL already announced finalists for the Vezina, Norris Trophy (defenseman) and Ted Lindsay Award (outstanding player in a vote by fellow players). Friday, finalists will be announced for the Masterton Trophy (perseverance), Selke Trophy (defensive forward), Jack Adams Award (coach) and Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship).
The Hart Trophy is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Here's a look at the three finalists (listed alphabetically):
Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Draisaitl, despite missing 11 games, led the league with 52 goals. He set a single-season NHL record with six overtime goals, shared first place in game-winning goals (11) and multi-goal performances (10), ranked second in even-strength goals (36), and tied for second in power-play goals (16). He won the award in 2020.
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Hellebuyck led the NHL with 47 victories, one behind the league record. His nine-win edge over No. 2 Andrei Vasilevskiy was the largest gap since 1990-91. Hellebuyck gave up two or fewer goals in 40 of 63 appearances. He led the league (minimum 25 games played) in goals-against average (2.00) and shutouts (eight), was second in save percentage (.925) and starts (62) and ranked fourth in saves (1,539) and high-danger save percentage ( .845). He's the first goaltender finalist since Igor Shesterkin in 2021-22 and is looking to become the fourth netminder in the expansion era to win, following Dominik Hasek (twice), Jose Theodore and Carey Price.
Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning
Kucherov second 121 points, 31 more than closest teammate Brandon Hagel, to capture his second consecutive and third overall Art Ross Trophy as points leader. He finished first in points per game (1.55), power-play assists (38) and power-play points (46) and third in even-strength points (75). He won the award in 2019 and is the only Hart finalist who's also a finalist for this season's Ted Lindsay Award.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hart Trophy finalists: NHL MVP contenders include goalie Hellebuyck
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
9 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Oilers' Stuart Skinner has high praise for Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky ahead of Cup Final
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner had two thoughts when asked about going up against an 'older goalie' in the Florida Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky for a second consecutive Stanley Cup Final. First, Bobrovsky is 'young' at 36 years old, said Skinner, who at 26 is 10 years Bobrovsky's junior. Second, the experience of going toe-to-toe with a surefire Hall of Famer over the course of a seven-game Cup Final series was 'amazing.' 'He's one of the best goalies in the world,' Skinner said. 'He's impressive. He skates well. Technically, I don't think there's much wrong with him in my perspective. He's exceptional.' But perhaps what stood out most to Skinner about Bobrovsky came after the series ended when the two shared a moment in the postgame handshake line following Florida's 2-1, Cup-clinching Game 7 victory. 'I remember in the lineup last year, just how kind he was to somebody who just lost,' Skinner said. 'Nothing but love to him.' The two will be back at it at 8 p.m. Wednesday from Edmonton's Rogers Place when puck drops on Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Bobrovsky has once again been his consistent self in the playoffs, posting a 2.11 goals-against average and .912 save percentage through the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs. He has three shutouts in 17 games — one in each round — and has held opponents to two goals or fewer in 11 of those 17 games. His 6.04 goals save above average according to Natural Stat Trick are the most among all goals this postseason. Skinner, meanwhile, had his share of rough outings to start the postseason. He was benched after getting shelled through the first two games of Edmonton's first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings and didn't get back in the net until Game 3 of the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights. He struggled in that game, too, before rounding into form. He posted back-to-back shutouts in Games 4 and 5 against Vegas to wrap up that series and then rebounded from a poor Game 1 in the Western Conference final against the Dallas Stars to backstop the Oilers back to the Stanley Cup Final. Now, Skinner, just like the Oilers as a whole, is looking for a chance at redemption after coming so close to winning it all last year but falling just short. 'If I'm gonna be completely honest here, I thought I had put it away quick,' Skinner said, 'but definitely internally, there was something buried. That's kind of the easy way to do it. Instead of thinking about it, trying to process it, I kind of stuffed it down of it. It kind of bit me in the butt halfway through my summer last year, and then I was able to kind of look back at it and process it. Obviously didn't want it to eat at me more going into the season. Human nature.' Safe to say he's ready for Wednesday. 'We keep on moving forward,' Skinner said. 'We lose the Cup last year, and we're back here again being able to get that opportunity. That's nothing but just complete, complete excitement.'
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Stanley Cup Final 2025: Oilers vs. Panthers prediction, odds, best bets for Game 1, series
The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers will face off in the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive season, beginning Wednesday night (8 p.m. ET, TNT). The Panthers won last year's Stanley Cup in seven games, but enter this year's series as slight underdogs (+105 at BetMGM), while the Oilers are -125 favorites. The Oilers are -130 home favorites at BetMGM in Game 1, with the Panthers as +110 underdogs with a game total of six goals. Advertisement Yahoo Sports asked handicapper Josh Inglis about a few of his best bets for the Stanley Cup Final: Florida Panthers (+105) vs. Edmonton Oilers (-125) Inglis: "I like the Panthers in the series at -110 or better, but I'll take the Game 1 price here at +115. I'm not worried too much about home-ice advantage in this series as Florida has been lights out on the road in the playoffs, and the Panthers have been -160, -180 and -125 series favorites in each series where they were the road team. "This is the much deeper lineup, and the longer the playoffs go, Edmonton's depth will be exposed. Florida is still tough to match up against on the road as its third line has possibly been its best line in the playoffs." Advertisement Best bets: Panthers Game 1 ML +115, Panthers to win series +105 Inglis: "Evan Rodrigues is still undervalued in the prop market, which is spilling over into his series point markets. The winger is playing on the top line for the Panthers and the first power play. He should be -150 or shorter for a point but is priced at around +100 to get one in Game 1. "In the previous round, he tied for the team lead in points with seven. He averaged almost 18 minutes per game vs. the Hurricanes and is showing finish, as well as some play-making ability [six assists]. "I think Alex Barkov is the best bet for the Conn Smythe at +600 and that means Rodrigues is tagging along as he will play his 5-on-5 and power-play shifts all with the elite center. Even if this series is a sweep, this plus-money prop has legs." Best bet: Evan Rodrigues to record five points in the series +210
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2025 Stanley Cup Final: How to watch the Edmonton Oilers vs. Florida Panthers series with Hulu + Live TV
We have received compensation to create this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change. The Edmonton Oilers will once again face the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final. () (Getty Images) It feels a little like déjà vu on the ice this year. The Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers is a rematch between the two teams, and if this year's series is anything like the nail-biting seven-game series of 2024, we're in for a thrill ride. Will Edmonton come roaring back to even the score after Florida's 2024 win? We'll find out when the championship series begins this week. You can catch all the action on Hulu + Live TV, where every game will be broadcast on TNT and truTV. Hulu + Live TV is $82.99 per month without ads, but if you want to test it out, you can get a free 3-day trial before committing, which means you can tune into Game 1 on Wednesday and Game 2 on Friday with no strings attached. Advertisement The series will kick off in Edmonton at Rogers Place on Wednesday, June 4, here's a full rundown of the game schedule and how to get complete access to every game with a Hulu + Live TV subscription. How to watch the Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers: Dates: Series begins June 4, 2025 Time: 8 p.m. (Game 1) TV channel: TNT, truTV Streaming: Hulu + Live TV Where to watch the Panthers vs. Oilers: You can tune in to every game of the Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Final on TNT and truTV which are both available with a subscription to Hulu + Live TV. Stanley Cup Final channel: All games in the Stanley Cup finals series between the Oilers and the Panthers will air on TNT and truTV. How to watch the Stanley Cup Finals without cable: Watch the Stanley Cup Final on TNT and truTV Hulu + Live TV Hulu's live TV tier includes access to live TV channels like TNT and truTV, plus Fox, FS1, ESPN, and more sports-centric channels. That means you can watch hockey and enjoy over 95 other channels — not to mention take advantage of all the great shows streaming on Hulu. You'll also enjoy access to unlimited DVR storage. Hulu + Live TV starts at $82/month after the free trial period. Try free for 3 days at Hulu Who is playing in the Stanley Cup Finals? This year, the Florida Panthers will play the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup finals. 2025 Stanley Cup Finals TV schedule: All times Eastern. Advertisement Game 1 : Wednesday, June 4 Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers, 8 p.m. (TNT, truTV) Game 2 : Friday, June 6 Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers - 8 p.m. (TNT, truTV) Game 3 : Monday, June 9 Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers - 8 p.m. (TNT, truTV) Game 4 : Thursday, June 12 Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers- 8 p.m. (TNT, truTV) Game 5* : Saturday, June 14 Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers - 8 p.m. (TNT, truTV) Game 6* : Tuesday, June 17 Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers - 8 p.m. (TNT, truTV) Game 7*: Friday, June 20 Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers - 8 p.m. (TNT, truTV) *if necessary What games can you watch with Hulu + Live TV? With a subscription to Hulu + Live TV, you can watch every game of the Stanley Cup Final series – TNT and TruTV are both included with a regular subscription. What other channels can you watch on Hulu + Live TV? Once the Stanley Cup Final is over, there's plenty more to explore, including 95+ live channels like Fox, NBC, Bravo, FX, PBS, Nickelodeon, Lifetime and USA. Browse the options using the intuitive guide and even record live TV to unlimited DVR storage to watch any shows or sports events or your own time. Stream at home or on the go using the mobile app. Advertisement And if you change your mind, you can cancel any time before your next billing cycle.
