The Colorado Avalanche are having a good start to the 2025-26 season. And as he always is, star forward Nathan MacKinnon is at the center of their success. MacKinnon is once again proving he is among the best players in the game. He may have a legitimate claim to being the best in the world at this time.
The Avalanche star leads all players with 33 points this year. He is one of two players to score 30+ points at this time. Moreover, he also occupies the league lead in goals with 14. MacKinnon is a force to be reckoned with, and currently has the inside track to win the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP for the second time in his career.
However, MacKinnon is certainly not alone in his candidacy. In fact, there are some intriguing players who are staking an early claim to the MVP honor. Let's take a look at some of these suspects with the season about 20 games old.
Connor McDavid chasing down Nathan MacKinnon
McDavid has long staked a claim to being the best in the world. MacKinnon may have surpassed him in production, but talent is a different story. The Oilers captain is the most skilled player in the world at this time. And he's making an early charge to reclaim the Hart Trophy.
McDavid had a down year by his lofty standards in 2024-25, only scoring 100 points in 67 games. However, he is putting himself back on track this year. The Oilers captain has nine goals and 30 points, joining MacKinnon as the only players to reach 30+ points. This puts him on track to score 123 points if he plays all 82 games.
MacKinnon has the lead in terms of production and team success. Colorado is first in the Central Division, while Edmonton is currently outside a playoff spot. But McDavid has shown time and again that he can lead the Oilers to success. If anyone has the best chance of tracking down MacKinnon, it's the best player of this generation.
Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson making strong cases
The other candidates worth mentioning are two of the brightest stars in the game. It's quite apropos to look at them together, considering how eerily similar their seasons have gone. Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard and Anaheim Ducks star Leo Carlsson are both tied for fourth in the NHL with 26 points.
Bedard has 10 goals and 16 assists so far. Carlsson, meanwhile, has 11 goals and 15 assists. Both players have helped lead an early season surge that could be a sign of their franchises turning the page. The Blackhawks and Ducks, once Western Conference heavyweights, have been stuck in a rebuilding process for the last few years.
Carlsson and Bedard could not be more neck and neck at this time. The Ducks are second in the Pacific Division, and were once near the top of the NHL. Meanwhile, Bedard and Chicago own the West's top Wild Card spot. Both players get an edge over fellow youngster Macklin Celebrini, whose San Jose Sharks are second-worst in the Pacific. But Celebrini is a darkhorse in his own right.
The NHL has some very exciting young talent coming through the ranks at this time. None of this says anything about players like Matthew Schaefer, Will Smith, or Matthew Knies. The youth movement is coming in this league sooner rather than later. As of now, Bedard and Carlsson are leading the way. And they could stake their claim early in their careers with a shock MVP victory in 2025-26.
Stream Prime Monday Night Hockey exclusively on Prime Video and experience thrilling goals and dramatic plays from the NHL. Monday nights are hockey nights — don’t miss a moment of the action. Prime Monday Night Hockey streams all national regular-season Monday night NHL games on Prime Video in Canada. The series is available free to Prime members in Canada.
