NHL Announces Finalists for 2025 Hart Memorial Trophy

Karl Rasmussen | May 1, 2025

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl / Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

The finalists for the 2025 Hart Memorial Trophy have been announced, recognizing the three top talents from the 2024-25 NHL campaign.

This year's finalists include Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and Tampa Bay Lightning center Nikita Kucherov. Between the three, both Kucherov and Draisaitl are previous Hart Trophy winners.

2025 Hart Trophy Finalists

Leon Draisaitl

Draisaitl was the NHL's goals leader for the 2024-25 season, earning him the Rocket Richard Trophy despite having missed 11 games due to injury. He scored 52 goals while adding 54 assists, giving him 106 points on the season. He previously won the Hart back in 2019-20 when he had 110 points, including 43 goals, in 71 games.

Nikita Kucherov

As for Kucherov, the 31-year-old led the league in points and was named the Ross Trophy winner. He had 121 points in 78 games, marking the third time in his career he has reached the 120-point threshold and the fifth time he topped 100 points in a campaign. Kucherov led all skaters with 84 assists this season, serving as a crucial playmaker for the Lightning.

Connor Hellebuyck

Hellebuyck was undisputedly the best goaltender in the NHL this season, registering stunning numbers including a league-best 2.00 goals against average to go with .925 save percentage. He is projected to win the Vezina Trophy and is the 2024-25 Jennings Trophy winner, too.

Last year's winner of the Hart Trophy, Nathan MacKinnon, was not a finalist in 2025, despite an excellent season in which he had 116 points, including 84 assists.

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