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To mark the halfway point of the 2024-25 regular season, NHL.com is running its third installment of the Trophy Tracker series. Today, we look at the race for the Hart Trophy, given annually to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team in the NHL as selected in a poll by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The NFL is not the only sport that is going to have an intense MVP debate. As the 2024-25 NHL season reaches its halfway point, the Hart Trophy (MVP) race is still extremely wide open with several contenders emerging.

(AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and his NHL-leading 53rd assist ... But playing without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov and their top three defensemen took its toll against the Avalanche, who held Minnesota to 12 shots on goal in the first two periods.

The Minnesota Wild feel a sense of urgency despite having nearly half a season left to play. After losing three in a row and four of their last five games, the Wild will look to turn things around on Monday afternoon against the host Colorado Avalanche in Denver.

MacKinnon is the most likely Avalanche player to take advantage of a Wild defense that is bleeding shots. Not only is he the best shot-generator on the team, but the Wild have allowed the second-most shots to centers in the NHL over the past few weeks.

(AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and his NHL ... But playing without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov and their top three defensemen took its toll against the Avalanche, who held Minnesota ...

Without Kirill Kaprizov, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota played a smart, poised and gutsy game, pulling away in the third for a 3-1 victory at Ball Arena.

ST PAUL, Minn. — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and his NHL-leading 53rd assist of the season to help the Colorado Avalanche rout the Minnesota Wild 6-1 on Thursday night. Mikko Rantanan and Logan O’Connor also each had a goal and an assist, Ross Colton, Parker Kelly and Artturi Lehkonen also scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 24 saves.

Abstract: Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and his NHL ... But playing without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov and their top three defensemen took its toll against the Avalanche, who held Minnesota ...

The Colorado Avalanche has hit a snag on its potential climb to the top of the Central Division, and the most surprising part is what’s currently the biggest issue. When the Avs stumbled to a 14-13 start,

When Leon Draisaitl won his first Hart Trophy in 2019-20, he made his case during a stretch when teammate Connor McDavid was out with an injury. The Oilers had missed the playoffs in back-to-back years in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and found themselves back in the mix in 2019-20 after a hot start to the season.