Wayne Gretzky has officially weighed in on the NHL’s most debated awards race, naming his choice for the 2026 Hart Memorial Trophy.
As the regular season concludes, the battle for the league’s Most Valuable Player has narrowed to a showdown between Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov. While both players dominated the scoring leaderboards and carried their respective teams into the postseason, the “Great One” has provided a definitive pick to break the deadlock.
Wayne Gretzky Picks Between Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov in Close Hart Trophy Race
Gretzky stepped into the Hart Trophy debate with a detailed breakdown of the top contenders before revealing his final choice. Speaking on an NHL on TNT segment, he first acknowledged several players outside the main spotlight, noting that some strong seasons may not get enough recognition despite their impact.
Gretzky pointed to younger and less-discussed names, saying, “My three guys that are probably not going to win the Hart but deserve a lot of credit,” before mentioning players like Cole Caufield and Macklin Celebrini. He also highlighted goaltender Dan Vladar in Philadelphia, crediting his role in pushing the team into the playoffs.
“My real dark horse was the goaltender in Philadelphia,” he said. “Look at the year he had. Look where they are. They’re in the playoffs. He’s been outstanding.”
However, the focus soon returned to the main trio driving the conversation. Gretzky emphasized the consistency and production of Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon, describing both as difficult to overlook. “Kucherov has been unbelievable in Tampa Bay. How can you not vote for MacKinnon? First place overall. Another stellar year,” he said, summarizing the challenge voters face.
Despite that, Gretzky made his position clear when discussing McDavid. He pointed to team context and individual consistency as deciding factors, explaining, “My vote would go to Connor McDavid on the basis that Edmonton has had kind of an up-and-down year all season, and made a lot of changes. He’s missed [Zach] Hyman and [Leon] Draisaitl for a great period of time, but he’s still putting up numbers, and he’s still the best player in the National Hockey League.”
With one game remaining in the NHL regular season, McDavid is leading the league with 134 points, reinforcing his case as the most dominant offensive player. His late-season surge, including three hat-trick games and several multi-point games, pushed him back into the center of the Hart discussion after briefly trailing earlier in the year. For many observers, that combination of production and influence remains a key argument in his favor.
At the same time, Kucherov’s case remains strong, especially when viewed through a different lens. He has recorded 130 points in 76 games and maintained one of the highest points-per-game rates in the league. How he has sustained his elite output despite roster challenges has led some to call him the most valuable player in terms of team dependency.
Nathan MacKinnon also stayed firmly in the race with 127 points and a league-leading 53 goals, helping Colorado secure the top overall position.
With the award decided by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association and announced later in June, the debate remains open. Still, Gretzky’s endorsement adds a clear perspective, backing McDavid as the player who best defines value this season.
