Voted for by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, the Hart Trophy is awarded to the NHL's most valuable player.
As of the conclusion of the 2024/25 season, a total of 12 active players have at least one Hart Trophy to their name. Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets was announced as the 2024/25 winner during the playoffs.
Here is a list of some of the early favorites to win the award in 2025/26.
2025/26 NHL Hart Trophy odds
Connor McDavid | +200 |
Nathan MacKinnon | +475 |
Nikita Kucherov | +800 |
Kirill Kaprizov | +1000 |
Leon Draisaitl | +1000 |
Connor Hellebuyck | +1400 |
Auston Matthews | +1600 |
Edmonton Oilers captain and center Connor McDavid is the early +200 favorite to win the 2025/26 NHL Hart Trophy.
McDavid has won it three times in the past, and in the 2024/25 regular season, he posted impressive numbers of 26 goals and 74 assists for 100 points in 67 games played. It's also possible that he'll be in a contract year, which should only further motivate him to reach his usual standards.
Second in the Hart Trophy odds is Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (+475), who won the award in 2023/24. MacKinnon has had over 100 points in three consecutive seasons, most recently posting 32 goals and a joint-NHL-best 84 assists for 116 points.
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, a one-time Hart winner who is often one of the contenders, is third in the way-too-early Hart market at +800. He scored 37 goals and tied with MacKinnon for the NHL lead with 84 assists in '24/25.
Tied for fourth in the betting at +1000 each are Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov and Oilers center Leon Draisaitl.
Kaprizov was on track for an MVP-worthy season before injuries derailed him. He scored 25 goals with 31 assists for 56 points in just 41 games.
Draisaitl was the NHL's most lethal goalscorer in the 2024/25 regular season, scoring a league-best 52 goals to go with 54 assists. He also led the league with 11 game-winning goals. He won the Hart Trophy in 2019/20 when he had 110 points in 67 games.
Further back in the Hart Trophy betting are the 2024/25 winner and Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck (+1400), Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (+1600), Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (+2000), New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (+2800), and Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (+3000).
NHL Hart Trophy past winners
Year | Player | Team |
2024/25 | Connor Hellebuyck | Winnipeg Jets |
2023/24 | Nathan MacKinnon | Colorado Avalanche |
2022/23 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers |
2021/22 | Auston Matthews | Toronto Maple Leafs |
2020/21 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers |
2019/20 | Leon Draisaitl | Edmonton Oilers |
2018/19 | Nikita Kucherov | Tampa Bay Lightning |
2017/18 | Taylor Hall | New Jersey Devils |
2016/17 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers |
2015/16 | Patrick Kane | Chicago Blackhawks |
2014/15 | Carey Price | Montreal Canadiens |
2013/14 | Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins |
2012/13 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals |
2011/12 | Evgeni Malkin | Pittsburgh Penguins |
2010/11 | Corey Perry | Anaheim Ducks |
2009/10 | Henrik Sedin | Vancouver Canucks |
2008/09 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Captials |
2007/08 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals |
2006/07 | Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins |
2005/06 | Joe Thornton | Boston Bruins/San Jose Sharks |
2004/05 | Not awarded - lockout | |
2003/04 | Martin St. Louis | Tampa Bay Lightning |
2002/03 | Peter Forsberg | Colorado Avalanche |
2001/02 | Jose Theodore | Montreal Canadiens |
2000/01 | Joe Sakic | Colorado Avalanche |
1999/00 | Chris Pronger | St. Louis Blues |
1998/99 | Jaromir Jagr | Pittsburgh Penguins |
1997/98 | Dominik Hasek | Buffalo Sabres |
1996/97 | Dominik Hasek | Buffalo Sabres |
1995/96 | Mario Lemieux | Pittsburgh Penguins |
1994/95 | Eric Lindros | Philadelphia Flyers |
1993/94 | Sergei Fedorov | Detroit Red Wings |
1992/93 | Mario Lemieux | Pittsburgh Penguins |
1991/92 | Mark Messier | New York Rangers |
1990/91 | Brett Hull | St. Louis Blues |
1989/90 | Mark Messier | Edmonton Oilers |
1988/89 | Wayne Gretzky | Los Angeles Kings |
1987/88 | Mario Lemieux | Pittsburgh Penguins |
1986/87 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers |
1985/86 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers |
1984/85 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers |
1983/84 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers |
1982/83 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers |
1981/82 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers |
1980/81 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers |
1979/80 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers |
1978/79 | Brian Trottier | New York Islanders |
1977/78 | Guy Lafleur | Montreal Canadiens |
1976/77 | Guy Lafleur | Montreal Canadiens |
1975/76 | Bobby Clarke | Philadelphia Flyers |
1974/75 | Bobby Clarke | Philadelphia Flyers |
1973/74 | Phil Esposito | Boston Bruins |
1972/73 | Bobby Clarke | Philadelphia Flyers |
1971/72 | Bobby Orr | Boston Bruins |
1970/71 | Bobby Orr | Boston Bruins |
1969/70 | Bobby Orr | Boston Bruins |
1968/69 | Phil Esposito | Boston Bruins |
1967/68 | Stan Mikita | Chicago Blackhawks |
1966/67 | Stan Mikita | Chicago Blackhawks |
1965/66 | Bobby Hull | Chicago Blackhawks |
1964/65 | Bobby Hull | Chicago Blackhawks |
1963/64 | Jean Beliveau | Montreal Canadiens |
1962/63 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings |
1961/62 | Jacques Plante | Montreal Canadiens |
1960/61 | Bernie Geoffrion | Montreal Canadiens |
1959/60 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings |
1958/59 | Andy Bathgate | New York Rangers |
1957/58 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings |
1956/57 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings |
1955/56 | Jean Beliveau | Montreal Canadiens |
1954/55 | Ted Kennedy | Toronto Maple Leafs |
1953/54 | Al Rollins | Chicago Blackhawks |
1952/53 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings |
1951/52 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings |
1950/51 | Milt Schmidt | Boston Bruins |
1949/50 | Chuck Rayner | New York Rangers |
1948/49 | Sid Abel | Detroit Red Wings |
1947/48 | Buddy O'Connor | New York Rangers |
1946/47 | Maurice Richard | Montreal Canadiens |
1945/46 | Max Bentley | Chicago Blackhawks |
1944/45 | Elmer Lach | Montreal Canadiens |
1943/44 | Babe Pratt | Toronto Maple Leafs |
1942/43 | Bill Cowley | Boston Bruins |
1941/42 | Tommy Anderson | Brooklyn Americans |
1940/41 | Bill Cowley | Boston Bruins |
1939/40 | Ebbie Goodfellow | Detroit Red Wings |
1938/39 | Toe Blake | Montreal Canadiens |
1937/38 | Eddie Shore | Boston Bruins |
1936/37 | Babe Siebert | Montreal Canadiens |
1935/36 | Eddie Shore | Boston Bruins |
1934/35 | Eddie Shore | Boston Bruins |
1933/34 | Aurele Joliat | Montreal Canadiens |
1932/33 | Eddie Shore | Boston Bruins |
1931/32 | Howie Morenz | Montreal Canadiens |
1930/31 | Howie Morenz | Montreal Canadiens |
1929/30 | Nels Stewart | Montreal Maroons |
1928/29 | Roy Worters | New York Americans |
1927/28 | Howie Morenz | Montreal Canadiens |
1926/27 | Herb Gardiner | Montreal Canadiens |
1925/26 | Nels Stewart | Montreal Maroons |
1924/25 | Billy Burch | Hamilton Tigers |
1923/24 | Frank Nighbor | Ottawa Senators |
NHL Hart Memorial Trophy information
The original Hart Memorial Trophy was donated to the NHL in 1923 by David Hart, the father of longtime Montreal Canadiens head coach Cecil Hart.
The trophy itself features a silver pedestal under a silver-and-gold sculpture that resembles flames. The sculpture atop the pedestal features engraving of the name of the trophy and its donor.
NHL Hart Trophy announcement
The NHL Hart Trophy winner is announced during the NHL Awards ceremony, which also features the announcements of the other major individual awards such as the Norris Trophy, Vezina Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award and Calder Memorial Trophy.
The 2025 Hart Trophy winner, Connor Hellebuyck, was announced as the winner on June 12, 2025. Members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the award winner.
Odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.
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May 30 2025
