The ’26 Hart Trophy: A Case For Nathan MacKinnon

The Avs' top player has a shot at his second...

I knew the second the Hart Trophy finalists were announced there would be backlash.

And right on cue, the comments under NHL and Sportsnet social posts filled with one word: snubbed.

You knew the second you saw the names — Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon — that fans would be furious someone had been left off.

Macklin Celebrini had a phenomenal season. A record-breaking, league-announcing year that confirmed what everyone suspected: he’s the real deal. He is going to be a force in this league for years, and San Jose suddenly looks like a franchise capable of becoming a perennial contender.

But as great as Celebrini was, he was not better than Nathan MacKinnon this season.

And the reason why is simple: MacKinnon has something Celebrini does not… yet.

Perspective.