Lightning strikes twice: Kucherov wins 2nd MVP

Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP for the second time on Thursday. He finished 10 points ahead of Edmonton's Connor McDavid, a three-time winner, in the closest Hart Trophy vote since 2001-02. Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon was third in voting by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. It was the first time under the current system that all three finalists received at least 25% of first-place votes. Difference maker. pic.twitter.com/k3ev4CVEm6 — Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 11, 2026 Kucherov, who first won the award in 2019, had 44 goals and 86 assists for 130 points this season -- including 104 points in a 50-game span and 42 more than his closest teammate -- and led the NHL with 1.71 points per game. The 130 points ranked second in the league to McDavid (138). Kucherov was third in Hart Trophy voting a year ago and second in 2023-24. He became the third player to go seven-plus years between Hart Trophy wins, joining Jean Beliveau (8 years) and Sidney Crosby (7 years). The Associated Press contributed to this report.