Published • loading... • Updated
Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov wins Hart Trophy as NHL MVP
Kucherov earned his second Hart Trophy after finishing with 130 points, while the Lightning also produced two other individual award winners.
- On Thursday, June 11, 2026, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov was named the Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP, marking the second time he has received the league's most prestigious individual award.
- Bypassing a traditional awards show, the league opted for intimate surprises to reveal winners, with Kucherov edging out Connor McDavid by 10 points in voting by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
- Leading the league with 1.71 points per game, Kucherov recorded 130 total points on 44 goals and 86 assists, becoming the first Lightning player in franchise history to win the Hart Trophy twice.
- Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy won the Vezina Trophy while head coach Jon Cooper claimed his first Jack Adams Award after reaching his 600th career victory, giving the Lightning three individual award winners.
- Cooper praised Kucherov's relentless drive, stating, "He could have 100 assists one year. He might want 110 the next year." This mindset reflects the growth keeping the winger focused on team success.
Insights by Ground AI
Podcasts & Opinions
42 Articles
42 Articles
Tampa Bay Lightning's Nikita Kucherov wins Hart Trophy for NHL Most Valuable Player for second time in career
Ten Points To Glory: Bolts' Kucherov Edges McDavid In Historic Hart Trophy Race - Tampa Free Press
TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov won the 2025-26 Hart Memorial Trophy, surviving one of the tightest voting races in NHL history. Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association selected the 32-year-old for the award, which is presented annually “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.” […] Ten Points To Glory: Bolts’ Kucherov Edges McDavid In Historic Hart Trophy Race
·Tampa, United States
Read Full Article
Clayton News+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
![[your]NEWS](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgroundnews.b-cdn.net%2Finterests%2Ffb6dc495f74049f513563c33352175eaa0ecd509.jpg%3Fwidth%3D24&w=64&q=75){kind=small}
Lightning F Nikita Kucherov wins second Hart Trophy
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov won his second Hart Trophy on Thursday, nearly a decade after he won his first.
·Clayton, United States
Read Full ArticleCoverage Details
Total News Sources42
Leaning Left13Leaning Right3Center12Last UpdatedBias Distribution46% Left
Bias Distribution
- 46% of the sources lean Left
46% Left
L 46%
C 43%
11%
![[your]NEWS](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgroundnews.b-cdn.net%2Finterests%2Ffb6dc495f74049f513563c33352175eaa0ecd509.jpg%3Fwidth%3D60&w=128&q=75)
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
