2025 NHL awards tracker: Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov headlines Hart Trophy finalists

With the Playoffs of the Stanley Cup move, the Nhl It has begun the process of announcing the finalists for each of their main awards for the 2024-25 season.

On Thursday, the league announced the finalists of the Hart Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL MVP. The Hart Trophy finalists are Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers), Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) and Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning).

Kucherov led the NHL with 121 points (37 goals, 84 assists) and will capture his Ross Art Trophy of the Third Career as the leader of points in the League. The lightning star became the 14th player in the NHL history to have at least three seasons of his career. With his performance of 84 assists this season, Kucherov became the fourth player in the history of the league to record three consecutive campaigns of 80 attendees. He will seek to win the second Hart Trophy of his career after taking his hardware at home in 2018-19.

In the meantime, Draisaitl led the league in goals (52) when he won the Richard “Rocket” trophy in Maurice as the highest scorer in the NHL during the regular season. Despite the lack of 11 games, the Oilers striker still had 106 points (52 goals, 54 assists) in the season. Draisaitl also set up a seasonal league record with six goals, while also tied for the first place in game winners (11). Draisaitl will also seek to win his second race Hart Trophy after winning the hardware in 2019-20 and would become the third Oilers player to win the Hart Trophy several times along with Wayne Gretzky (8) and Connor McDavid (3).

Hellebuyck, who has already been named a finalist of the Vezina Trophy, directed the NHL in victories (47) and goals in the average (2.00), while finishing second in a percentage of savings (.925). Only Martin Brodeur (2006-07) and Braden Holtby (2015-16) have registered more wins in a single season than Hellebuyck. Hellebuyck scored the first scorer to be set as a Hart trophy finalist from New York goalkeeper Rangers, Igor Shesterkin, honored in 2021-22. Additionally, Hellebuyck is only the fourth goalkeeper of the expansion era (since 1967-68), who was named finalist of the Hart trophy with Dominik Hasek (1996-97 and 1997-98), Jose Theodore (2021-22) and Carey Price (2014-15).

Earlier this week, the league announced the finalists of the Norris Trophy, who honors the superior defender. The three finalists of the prestigious prize are Makar, Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks).

Hughes is the winner of the Norris Trophy who reigns and continued to direct the Canucks in points (76) and assists (60) during the regular season. He also directed the Canucks by scoring a 26-point margin and only Erik Karlsson ran his team at more points when he led the San Jose sharks by 34 points during the 2022-23 campaign. He also marked the fourth consecutive season in which Hughes reached the 60 -point plateau, and also became the fourth defender in NHL history to get this feat.

Makar, meanwhile, led all NHL proponents in points (92), goals (30) and assists (62). The Avalanche Blue-Liner previously won the Norris Trophy for its performance during the 2021-22 season. On the other hand, Werenski recorded a career in points (82), goals (23) and assists (59), while becoming the first defender of the blue jackets to lead the team to score. Werenski would become the first Columbus player in the history of the franchise to win the Norris trophy if the prize is taken home.

The rest of the NHL awards will be announced daily in mid -May. The NHL 2025 awards will take place in June 2025, but an exact date has not yet been announced.

Vezina trophy

The vezina trophy is granted “to the goalkeeper awarded to be the best in his position”.

Norris Trophy

The Norris Trophy is given “the defensive player who demonstrates throughout the season the greater total capacity of the position”.

• Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks)
• Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche)
• Zach Werenski (Columbus blue jackets)

TED Lindsay Award

The TED Lindsay Award is awarded annually to “NHL’s most prominent player”.

• Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning)
• Nathan Mackinnon (Avalanche of Colorado)
• Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche)

Hart Trophy

The Hart trophy is given “to the awarded player to be the most valuable for his team”.

• Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning)
• Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers)
• Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets)