Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid has received the first half of the NHL’s annual MVP honors.
McDavid was announced as the winner of the Ted Lindsay Award. Fellow players vote on the award for “the most outstanding player in the NHL.”
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He beat out the San Jose Sharks‘ Macklin Celebrini and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov. The NHL Players’ Association doesn’t release vote totals.
McDavid is also a finalist for the Hart Trophy, the MVP award voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The winner will be announced later.
McDavid won the Ted Lindsay Award for the fifth time, tying Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky for most times. It was known as the Lester B. Pearson Award when Gretzky won it.
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
The NHL is announcing the winners for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here’s who is in the running (listed alphabetically), plus vote totals:
(Ethan Miller, Getty Images)
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
The NHL is announcing the winners for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here’s who is in the running (listed alphabetically), plus vote totals:
(Ethan Miller, Getty Images)
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Norris Trophy (defenseman) winner: Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski, 1,589 points.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images)
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Norris runner-up: Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar, 1,191 points
(Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)
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Norris Trophy finalist: Buffalo Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin, 657 points
(Morgan Tencza, Imagn Images)
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Calder Trophy (rookie) winner: New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, 1,980 points.
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Calder runner-up: Montreal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov, 1,158 points.
(David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
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Calder finalist: Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke, 958 points.
(Gary A. Vasquez, Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
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Hart Trophy (MVP) finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov
(Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images)
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Hart finalist: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon
(Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images)
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Hart finalist: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid
(Sean M. Haffey, Getty Images)
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Selke Trophy (defensive forward) finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli
(Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
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Selke finalist: Colorado Avalanche forward Brock Nelson.
(John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images)
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Selke finalist: Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki
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Jack Adams Award (coach) finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jon Cooper
(John E. Sokolowski, John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Jack Adams finalist: Pittsburgh Penguins’ Dan Muse
(James Guillory, Imagn Images)
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Jack Adams finalist: Buffalo Sabres’ Lindy Ruff
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Vezina Trophy (goaltender) New York Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin
(Alexander Wohl, Imagn Images)
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Vezina finalist: Boston Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman
(Brian Fluharty, Imagn Images)
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Vezina finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy
(David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
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Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship) finalist: Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield
(David Kirouac Imagn Images)
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Lady Byng finalist: Los Angeles Kings’ Anze Kopitar.
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Lady Byng finalist: Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson
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Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player) finalist: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini
(Eakin Howard, Imagn Images)
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Ted Lindsay finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Ted Lindsay finalist: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid
(Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
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Masterton Trophy (perseverance) finalist: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
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Masterton finalist: Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog
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Masterton finalist: Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews
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Masterton nominee: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy
(Brian Fluharty, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall
(James Guillory, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight
(Eric Hartline, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner
(Kyle Ross, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Detroit Red Wings right wing Dominik Shine
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Masterton nominee: Edmonton Oilers goalie Connor Ingram
(Walter Tychnowicz, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand
(Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar
(Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Nashville Predators right wing Ozzy Wiesblatt
(Per Haljestam, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon
(David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: New York Islanders center Kyle Palmieri
(Marc DesRosiers, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: New York Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson
(Danny Wild, Imagn Images)
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark
(Marc DesRosiers, Imagn Images)
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Garrett Wilson
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha
(Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington
(Connor Hamilton, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: San Jose Sharks goalie Laurent Brossoit
(Walter Tychnowicz, Imagn Images)
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle
(Matt Blewett, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh
(Keito Newman, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson
(Stan Szeto, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen
(Bob Frid, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
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Masterton nominee: Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin
(Danny Wild, Danny Wild-Imagn Images)Why Connor McDavid won Ted Lindsay Award
He led the NHL with 138 points in 82 games to earn his sixth career Art Ross Trophy, tied for the second-most in league history. He recorded his eighth season of 70 or more assists. He helped the Oilers reach the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
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Connor McDavid surprised with Ted Lindsay Award
The NHL has stopped holding the annual awards show, so the recipients are surprised with the trophies in unexpected settings.
McDavid was golfing when he received the award. His parents, wife and friends were there.
“This award, coming from the guys that you play against every single night and battle against every single night, to have them recognize me with an award like this, means so much,” McDavid said.
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Other NHL awards winners
Vezina Trophy (goaltender): Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy
Norris Trophy (defenseman): Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski
Calder Trophy (rookie): New York Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer
Jack Adams Award (coach): Lightning’s Jon Cooper
Selke Trophy (defensive forward): Montreal Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki
Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship): Canadiens’ Cole Caufield
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oilers’ Connor McDavid wins Ted Lindsay Award for fifth time