Avalanche’s MacKinnon wins Hart Trophy as NHL MVP

Two of those all-time greats, Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky, called him after the show.

“I got a call from Sid and Wayne called me,” MacKinnon said. “It’s always cool to see Wayne Gretzky pop up on your phone and see his name on this thing a hundred times (pointing to Ted Lindsay Award). It’s cool to have all the support that I have. I couldn’t do this by myself.”

Gretzky won both trophies five times, in four consecutive seasons from 1981–85 and again in 1986–87. Crosby won both the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award in 2006–07 and again in consecutive seasons, 2012–13 and 2013–14.

MacKinnon is the 24th player to win the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award in the same season. It has happened 37 times since the Ted Lindsay Award was first presented in 1970-71.

“The awards speak for themselves,” said Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who won the Vezina Trophy on Thursday. “He’s a phenomenal player. He’s got a great grasp on the game. He continues to get better and that’s what you want to see from your elite players.”

MacKinnon won the Hart Trophy vote in a landslide, receiving 137 of the 194 first-place votes and 1,740 voting points. He placed first or second on 184 of the 194 ballots submitted.

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov was the runner-up with 50 first-place votes and 1,269 voting points. McDavid came in third with 845 voting points. He received one first-place vote.

New York Rangers left winger Artemi Panarin (three), Matthews (two) and Hellebuyck (one) also received first-place votes.

“I thought I had a chance in 2018 and I thought I had a chance tonight,” MacKinnon said. “The other year, I think Connor had 50 more points than me, so it wasn’t that close. Yeah, I thought I had a chance. I didn’t know. ‘Cough’ and Connor had incredible seasons, 100 assists each, so I really didn’t know. It’s definitely cool to win.”