The NHL has announced the three finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy. Without any surprise, Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov is among them. Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid are also in the running.
Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid are the three finalists for the 2023-24 Hart Memorial Trophy.#NHLAwards: https://t.co/pnAGn3bwul pic.twitter.com/Kw8efdHeOp
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 7, 2024
Kucherov, 30, was simply magnificent for the Lightning this season. He had 44 goals and led the NHL with 144 points, securing his second career Art Ross Trophy. Now, he will look to do the same with the Hart Trophy.
Kucherov has a massive case to win the Hart Trophy this season. In addition to leading all NHL players in points, he became the first winger in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a single season, a remarkable accomplishment.
In addition, there’s no question that Kucherov had a massive impact on the Lightning’s success this season. Without him, the Lightning very likely would have missed the playoffs. With that, he had 54 more points than Brayden Point, the Lightning’s second-leading scorer.
Point had a fantastic season, too, posting 46 goals and 90 points in 81 games. That shows how dominant Kucherov was in 2023-24.
Overall, it is fantastic to see Lightning Kucherov’s spectacular season being recognized. However, MacKinnon and McDavid also had excellent campaigns, so this Hart Trophy race could be very close.
