RADIO
Andy's NHL power rankings for the top-10 Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP) candidates for the 2025-26 season. His top Hart Memorial Trophy candidates of April 2026 include Macklin Celebrini, David Pastrnak, Nathan MacKinnon, more.
With the NHL regular season nearing the finish line, it is time to do our final Hart Memorial Trophy rankings of the season. While the final games may slightly change our rankings, we now have a very clear idea of who will be the front-runners for the MVP Award.
Be sure to also check out our April update for the Vezina Trophy race as well!
Who are the top-10 favorites for the Hart Trophy? Let's dive in! All statistics and records are updated as of April 7.
Upgrade To VIP: Save 50% on any NHL Premium Pass using discount code SPRING. Win more with our NHL DFS Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! Doug Shain (@BanksterDFS) anchors the team with his exclusive DFS Heat Map, lineup picks and projections. Gain VIP access to our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, DFS Cheat Sheets and VIP Chat Rooms. Go Premium, Win More!
No. 10 - Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
Dahlin has been climbing the Norris Trophy rankings and should be in the MVP discussion come the end of the regular season. After a slow start to the regular season, the former first overall pick has become the backbone of this team and has played at an elite level as the Sabres have finally snapped their lengthy 14-year postseason drought.
Since January 8 (37 games), Dahlin has found the back of the net 14 times while taking on 28 helpers, combining for 42 total points. During this stretch, Dahlin has posted an elite +21 rating while logging 90 shots on goal with 36 hits and 34 blocked shots.
Among defenders during this stretch, Dahlin sits second in points, trailing only Evan Bouchard of the Oilers (by a mere six points), but his goal count leads the position. Additionally, Dahlin's +21 rating puts him in fourth at the position.
Under the hood, Dahlin boasts an elite 60.9% On-Ice Goals% with an elite 44.1% Off-Ice Expected Goals%, which shows how crucial his quality of play is to the Buffalo offense.
No. 9 - Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars
The first member of the 40-goal club we will spotlight is Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars. "Robo" currently sits ninth on the goal leaderboard with 40. He has also taken on 49 helpers over 77 games, bringing his current total to 89 points, which is tied for the 10th highest in the league.
However, even though his counting stats are not as high as the others before him on this list, his underlying metrics are among the best in the sport, which keeps him on our list.
According to MoneyPuck.com, the 26-year-old has generated the sixth-highest On-Ice Expected Goals% (64.6%) among forwards who have logged at least 800 minutes of ice time. This mark trails just one player on this list.
His remarkable 21.2% Relative Expectation Goals% is the highest in the sport by nearly one point, as Connor McDavid's 20.6% sits in the No. 2 spot.
Another 40-goal campaign for Robo 🎯 pic.twitter.com/ZFUQE2Yy6F
— x - Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) March 28, 2026
No. 8 - Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
The other defenseman on the MVP list is Columbus' Zach Werenski. While the Blue Jackets have hit a bit of a skid recently, which has put a damper on their playoff hopes, Werenski has continued to play at an elite level.
Through 70 games, the current Norris front-runner has tallied 78 points (21 goals) while holding a +10 rating. He is one of just two defenders who have averaged over 1.00 points per game played (joining Edmonton's Bouchard).
However, his recent six-game skid, where he has tallied just one point, has slightly pushed him down our list. Nonetheless, Werenski still carries underlying metrics that are well worthy of MVP votes.
According to MoneyPuck.com, Werenski has generated a strong 55% Corsi%, which is well above the average mark. His 43.7% Off-Ice Expected Goals% places him ninth at the position and is slightly lower than Dahlin's mark of 44.1%. His 534 total shot attempts remain the highest mark of the position, even though he missed four games due to a minor injury.
The Blue Jackets would not be near the playoff race without Werenski, and his recent slump does not take him off our list.
No. 7 - Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
While Vasilevskiy was joined by Ilya Sorokin in our list of Hart top-10 rankings, the Islanders netminder has since fallen to the honorable mention section, which leaves the Big Cat as the lone netminder in our top 10. Vasilevskiy has since emerged as the Vezina favorite following Sorokin's recent skid and should earn a handful of MVP votes as well.
Following a brief three-game skid to begin March, where Vasilevskiy posted an 0-3 record with a 5.18 GAA, he has quickly found his footing, posting a 9-4-1 record over his last 14 games with a 2.45 GAA and a .903% SV%.
Overall, the 31-year-old currently leads the sport with 37 wins (37-14-4 record), his .912% SV% sits tied for third among goalkeepers (who have played at least 30 games), and his 2.32 GAA sits second at the position.
Under the hood, Vasilevskiy has tallied an elite 22.8 Goals Saved Above Expected (per MoneyPuck.com) with an impressive 3.80 WAR.
No. 6 - Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild
Kaprizov was a riser in this month's update and is emerging as a dark horse for this trophy. Currently on the main leaderboard, Kaprizov is tied for the No. 3 spot in total goals (43) alongside Kucherov and McDavid.
Additionally, he has tacked on another 44 helpers, bringing his total to 87 points. While his overall point total is one of the lower marks on this list, his goal-scoring ability is one of the best in the sport.
Since the start of March, Kaprizov has nearly scored a goal per game, punching in 10 over his last 15 games while logging 49 shots on goal. His recent hat-trick effort against the Red Wings on Sunday afternoon has been just another highlight of his dominant second half.
Under the hood, the Russian winger has generated a stellar 59% Corsi% with a dominant 63.1% On-Ice Expected Goals%, which is just three points behind MacKinnon's current mark (according to MoneyPuck.com).
KAPRIZOV NETS A HATTY AND THE WILD HAVE THE LEAD LATE, THIS GAME!!!!!! 🤯🔥 pic.twitter.com/osTH2jWRzI
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 5, 2026
No. 5 - David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins
The leader of the Boston Bruins offense will hold the next spot on our list. The Bruins have all but punched their ticket into the postseason, and much of their success is credited to winger David Pastrnak.
While netminder Jeremy Swayman is emerging as a dark horse for the Vezina, Pastrnak has played at a superstar level this season, despite having inconsistent offensive talent around him.
Through 73 games, the Czech native has found the back of the net 29 times while adding 68 helpers. His assists are currently the fourth most in the sport, trailing only players who are just above him on our list. However, unlike these names (McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Nikita Kucherov), Pastrnak is typically playing with another "star" caliber forward.
Top winger Morgan Geekie was enjoying a dominant start to the season, but is currently riding a 17-game goal drought. Pastrnak's production has not declined as a result. Since March 1, he has tallied 25 points over 19 games while logging a hefty 65 shots on goal.
While his 56.9% On-Ice Expected Goals% is lower than most names on this list, he has generated a strong 57% Corsi% with an impressive 41.7% Off-Ice Expected Goals%, which shows how impactful his presence is on this team. When Pastrnak is off the ice, the entire Boston offense takes a massive step down.
No. 4 - Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
McDavid has been without Leon Draisaitl since mid-March, but that has now slowed down his pursuit of the Hart Trophy. In fact, it may have helped his case to take home the hardware. Over the nine games without his "Robin," McDavid has tallied 12 points over this stretch, with six of them coming as goals. He has held a +3 rating during this stretch while adding 38 shots on goal.
Overall, since the start of January, McDavid has tallied an incredible 56 points over his last 36 games. During this stretch, he has found the back of the net 19 times. Among skaters, his point totals place him in second place among all skaters during this stretch, trailing only one player, the No. 1 name on our list.
In total, McDavid enters Tuesday's slate with 126 points, tying him with Kucherov at the top of the leaderboard. However, McDavid has played six more games than Kucherov, which keeps him slightly lower on this list.
No. 3 - Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks
Celebrini's resume as a 19-year-old is beyond impressive, and in most seasons, he would likely be the runaway favorite for the MVP Award. However, he comes in at the No. 3 spot on our list but is within reach of the top two if he enjoys a dominant finish to the season (and if the Sharks can punch their ticket to the postseason).
Currently, Celebrini is just one of four forwards who are in the 100-point club, all of whom currently sit within the top four of our MVP power rankings. However, Celebrini sits at the back end of this group with 107, while the other three skaters are all above the 120-point mark. Despite this, Celebrini's lack of talent around him makes his production even more impressive.
Celebrini is putting the entire San Jose offense on his back, which is why he remains a serious contender for this year. On his team, Celebrini is the lone player to have cleared the 55-point mark, while the other three players within the top four have several high-end players around them.
Currently, Will Smith and Alex Wennberg are the No. 2/No. 3 scoring leaders on the team with just 55 and 53 points, respectively.
As expected, Celebrini's Off-Ice Expected% (per MoneyPuck.com) is the highest on the list and demonstrates the true meaning of the "most valuable player." As of April 7, the former first overall pick has generated a low 40.7% Off-Ice Expected%, the lowest among players on this list and the seventh lowest in the entire sport.
No. 2 - Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
The current front-runner for the Rocket Richard Trophy (but the seat is getting hot) will hold the next spot on our list. MacKinnon has found the back of the net an impressive 51 times while adding another 71 helpers, bringing his overall point total to 122, the third most in the NHL.
MacKinnon has served as the backbone of the top team in the sport throughout the season and has yet to show any signs of slowing down. Since March 1, MacKinnon has scored 11 goals in 18 games while tallying another 14 assists.
Under the hood, MacKinnon carries a 64% Corsi%, which is currently tied for the fourth-highest mark among forwards on MoneyPuck.com. The 30-year-old also sits near the top (third) in On-Ice Goals% (70.9%) with an elite 64.3% On-Ice Expected Goals%, placing him 10th among skaters. If MacKinnon can come close to a 60-goal season, he could overtake the top spot.
No. 1 - Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
Holding the No. 1 spot will be Tampa Bay's Kucherov. Kucherov has had a dominant season and has looked even more dominant down the stretch.
Since January 1, Kucherov has been the game's best offensive player by a significant margin. During this time period, Kucherov has tallied an incredible 75 points over 36 games (25 goals), while the No. 2 player, McDavid, has tallied just 56 points, which will keep him above McDavid in our rankings.
Overall, the winger sits with 126 points and a stellar 1.77 p/GP (over 71 games), both of which currently lead the sport.
Under the hood, Kucherov has generated a 70.2% On-Ice Goals%, 20.2% Relative Expected Goals%, and a 65.2% On-Ice Expected Goals%, all of which are within the top five among all forwards. The 32-year-old is playing some of the best hockey of his career and sits as the current favorite to take home the 2025-26 MVP.
Nikita Kucherov scores from a RIDICULOUS angle 😲 pic.twitter.com/XUx6aJoHIH
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 3, 2026
On the Outside Looking In
- Matt Boldy, MIN
- Wyatt Johnston, DAL
- Sidney Crosby, PIT
- Ilya Sorokin, NYI
- Jack Eichel, VGK
- Nick Suzuki, MTL
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis
