NHL legend Wayne Gretzky explains why Connor McDavid deserves Hart Trophy

“Kucherov has been unbelievable in Tampa Bay,” Gretzky said. “How can you not vote for MacKinnon? First place overall. Another stellar year.”

Gretzky picked Connor McDavid as his Hart Trophy pick

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) is congratulated at San Jose

Despite that competition, Gretzky leaned toward McDavid, who, despite injuries to teammates, including Leon Draisaitl, carried a heavier load for long stretches.

“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,” Gretzky said. “He’s missed Hyman and 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. So I would vote for Connor McDavid if I had to vote.”

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McDavid truly lives up to the compliment with his elite production. He has 134 points with one game remaining in the regular season, leading the NHL once again. His ability to control games (he has three hat tricks this season) and create offense remained unmatched, even when the Oilers struggled for consistency.

While other candidates thrived on balanced teams, McDavid often had to elevate his group through adversity.

So, the Hart Trophy race remains one of the tightest in recent years. Several players have strong cases based on production and team success. However, Gretzky’s view adds weight to McDavid’s candidacy.