Alex Ovechkin had a fitting finish in voting for the 2025 Hart Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s most valuable player. Ovechkin finished eighth after receiving one first-place vote, one second-place vote, four fourth-place votes, and 15 fifth-place votes. No other Capitals players received consideration.
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was the ultimate victor after a sensational season with the Winnipeg Jets. He’s just the eighth goalie ever to win the MVP award since it was first awarded in 1924.
The PHWA, which RMNB is not a part of, votes for the annual award.
Ovechkin, 39, finished his 20th NHL season with his 14th 40-goal campaign, recording 73 points (44g, 29a) in 65 games. After breaking his leg in November, Ovechkin still managed to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record in April against the New York Islanders.
Ovechkin was second on the Capitals in overall scoring (73), first in goals (44), first in points-per-game (1.12), first in power-play goals (14), and first in shots (237). The Caps were the Eastern Conference’s top seed heading into the playoffs after collecting 111 standings points in the regular season.
Hellebuyck, who also won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender, went 47-12-3 for the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Jets with a 2.00 goals-against average, a .925 save percentage, and eight shutouts.
Hart Trophy voting
Ovechkin is the lone Capitals player to have won the Hart Trophy, earning the award three times (2008, 2009, 2013).
The NHL’s full press release is below:
Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck Wins Hart Trophy
Winnipeg Goaltender Honored in Special Surprise Trophy Presentation
NEW YORK (June 12, 2025) – Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets is the 2024-25 recipient of the Hart Memorial Trophy, presented “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team,” as selected by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Hellebuyck first learned he won the Vezina Trophy with friends and family at his home. Following that special moment, friend and teammate Eric Comrie appeared to surprise him with the Hart Trophy.
The first goaltender voted a Hart Trophy finalist since Igor Shesterkin in 2021-22 (3rd w/ NYR), Hellebuyck is the fourth netminder in the expansion era (since 1967-68) to win the award, following Dominik Hasek (1996-97 and 1997-98 w/ BUF), Jose Theodore (2001-02 w/ MTL) and Carey Price (2014-15 w/ MTL).
Hellebuyck was a top-five selection on 183 of 191 ballots and received 81 first-place votes in collecting 1,346 points to win a tight race with Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, who earned 53 first-place votes and 1,209 points. In a razor-thin margin separating third and fourth place, Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov edged Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, the 2023-24 Hart Trophy winner, 973-972.
Hellebuyck (47-12-3, 2.00 GAA, .925 SV%, 8 SO) led the NHL with 47 victories and captured the William M. Jennings Trophy to lift the Jets (56-22-4, 116 points) to franchise records for wins and points in a season as well as their first Presidents’ Trophy. Only two netminders in League history have recorded more wins in a single campaign: Martin Brodeur in 2006-07 (48 w/ NJD) and Braden Holtby in 2015-16 (48 w/ WSH). Hellebuyck’s nine-win edge over No. 2-ranked Andrei Vasilevskiy (38-20-5 w/ TBL) also represented the largest gap between the NHL’s top-two winningest goaltenders since 1990-91, when No. 1 Ed Belfour (43-19-7 w/ CHI) finished 12 ahead of No. 2 Mike Vernon (31-19-3 w/ CGY). Hellebuyck, who yielded two or fewer goals in 40 of his 63 total appearances (63.5%), additionally placed among the League leaders (minimum: 25 GP) in goals-against average (1st; 2.00), shutouts (1st; 8), save percentage (2nd; .925), games started (2nd; 62), saves (4th; 1,539) and high-danger save percentage (4th; .845).
