Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov has been named the 2025-26 winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy and is a two-time NHL MVP. Kucherov edged Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid in one of the closest races in recent memory.

Kucherov beat out the Oilers' Connor McDavid and the Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon for the league's most prestigious award.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player on Thursday, winning the award for the second time.