Four superstars who should be leading the NHL MVP race

The NFL isn’t the only sport that’s going to have an intense MVP debate. As the 2024-25 NHL season reaches its halfway point, the Hart Trophy (MVP) race is still extremely wide open with numerous contenders emerging.

Let’s take a look at four of them that should be leading the way.

Nathan MacKinnon, forward, Colorado Avalanche

MacKinnon’s MVP case is simple – he leads the NHL in scoring with 70 points entering Thursday’s games and is the best player on a team solidly in a playoff spot. Points and offense will always get players noticed in award discussions, especially when they are at the top of the league. Considering how many injuries Colorado has had to deal with this season, as well as its sketchy goaltending that cost it some games early in the season, MacKinnon’s play has allowed the Avalanche to stay comfortably in a playoff spot. If he wins, he would be the first back-to-back MVP winner since Alex Ovechkin in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons.

Leon Draisaitl, forward, Edmonton Oilers

Every year, you can be sure that Edmonton’s dominant offensive duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will be atop the scoreboard and at the center of the MVP debate. Both players have already won the MVP award in their careers, and both players are right there again this season. But as good as McDavid has been, Draisaitl gets the slight edge here because he entered Thursday’s game leading the NHL in total goals (31), plus-minus (plus-27) and game-winning goals (nine).

Connor Hellebuyck, goaltender, Winnipeg Jets

Goalies don’t get nearly enough love in the MVP race. Only two of them have won it over the past 25 years (Jose Theodore in 2001-02 and Carey Price in 2014-15), and they are rarely finalists. But given how much they can impact a team and how much a great goaltender can elevate a mediocre team into a contender, they absolutely fit the definition of value. No goalkeeper in the league is doing it more right now than Hellebuyck. He is the single biggest reason the Jets have one of the NHL’s best records. His .929 save percentage is the highest in the NHL and .028 higher than the league average (.901), while posting a mark of .920 or better for the third straight year. He’s the best goaltender on the planet right now and has almost single-handedly turned the Jets into a contender.

Kirill Kaprizov, forward, Minnesota Wild

The Wild have never had an MVP winner in their organization’s history, but Kaprizov probably has the best chance of any player they’ve ever had. He’s a top scorer, a dynamic playmaker and is helping lead the Wild to a playoff spot a year after they missed out entirely. His points-per-game average is fourth-best in the NHL, and he’s one of the league’s must-see players when healthy. However, that is the key for Kaprizov and the one thing that probably places him below the players mentioned above. He hasn’t been healthy all season. He’s already missed 11 games this season, which could knock him down a peg or two in the voters’ eyes. If he plays the majority of the second half, maintains his current scoring rate and gets the Wild into the playoffs, he will definitely be in the discussion.