Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid leads Professional Hockey Writers Association voting for the Hart Trophy with just over 88% of first-place ballots after the opening stretch of the 2026–27 NHL season — but he is not the unanimous choice.
McDavid recorded 47 points in his first 18 games. He seeks his fourth Hart Trophy and first since 2023. Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and Eddie Shore are the only players with four Hart wins.
TOP NEWS
Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon are the other Hart finalists. Kaprizov had 31 points and 16 goals through 19 games. His line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy scored at a rate near five goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 and allowed zero even-strength goals in that span. MacKinnon tallied 30 points through 18 games — seven more than any teammate — despite the Avalanche’s slow start.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard leads Norris Trophy voting with over 83% of first-place votes. He has 31 points and a plus-24 rating in 18 games, following a 95-point, plus-25 season in 2025–26. Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes is second, with 26 points in 19 games and an average ice time of 28 minutes, 7 seconds. Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, last season’s Norris winner, has 14 points and a league-high 28:18 average ice time through 15 games.
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler leads Calder Trophy voting with just over 61% of first-place votes. The 21-year-old is 8-1-1 with a .925 save percentage and 2.15 goals-against average in his first 10 NHL games. He has two shutouts, leading all rookie goalies. Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård and Chicago Blackhawks winger Roman Kantserov are the other finalists. Brandsegg-Nygård has 10 points in 18 games; Kantserov has nine goals and two assists in 18 games.
Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt leads Vezina Trophy voting with around 58% of first-place votes. He is 11-2-3 with a .922 save percentage and 1.99 goals-against average in 16 games. Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (12 games, .920 SV%, 1.67 GAA) and Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (8 games, .945 SV%, 1.33 GAA) are finalists. Ullmark’s limited appearances stem from injury.
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek leads Selke Trophy voting, marking his first top-three positioning since finishing fourth in 2021. Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli and Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki are the other finalists.
The Professional Hockey Writers Association votes for the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng Trophies. General managers vote for the Vezina Trophy. Broadcasters vote for the Jack Adams Award.
More: NHL · Minnesota Wild
