Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Nikita Kucherov emerged as the finalists for the 2023-24 Hart Memorial Trophy, as announced on Tuesday. This prestigious award is bestowed upon “the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team” and is determined through votes by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

McDavid, who secured his third Hart Trophy last season, aims to join the elite ranks of Wayne Gretzky (nine), Gordie Howe (six), and Eddie Shore (four) as one of the few players in NHL history to win at least four Hart Trophies. The 27-year-old Edmonton Oilers captain is also eyeing the coveted title of being the first back-to-back winner since Alex Ovechkin achieved the feat in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

Throughout the season, McDavid showcased his exceptional skills by amassing an impressive 132 points (32 goals and a league-leading 100 assists) in 76 games, rallying the Oilers to the playoffs after a challenging start of 2-9-1.

Meanwhile, 28-year-old Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche made a significant impact by playing all 82 games and achieving career highs with 51 goals, 89 assists, and a franchise-record 140 points — a feat achieved only five times in the past 30 years. This marks MacKinnon’s fourth time as a Hart finalist, with previous second-place finishes in 2019-20 and 2017-18. He aims to become the third MVP winner for the Avalanche, following in the footsteps of Peter Forsberg (2002-03) and Joe Sakic (2000-01).

Nikita Kucherov, a former Hart Trophy winner in 2018-19, dominated the season by leading the NHL and setting a Tampa Bay Lightning record with an impressive 144 points (44 goals and a league-leading 100 assists) in 81 games. Kucherov also claimed his second Art Ross Trophy and topped the league in power-play points (53), power-play assists (40), and three-point games (23). A win this year would make him the fourth active player with multiple Hart Trophy victories, joining McDavid (three), Ovechkin (three), and Sidney Crosby (two).