Will Connor McDavid’s Play Without Draisaitl Win Him the Hart?

The pendulum has swung numerous times in the Hart Trophy race throughout the 2025-26 season, and the past week may have marked another major shift at the top.

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Just last week, Nikita Kucherov had all the momentum, riding an absolute heater that helped him surpass Connor McDavid in league scoring thanks to a four-point performance against his Oilers in Edmonton. Nobody was saying it was over, but there was serious steam building around the superstar winger for MVP.

Fast forward one week, and the best player in the world is not only back to leading the league in points, but has also put himself right back into the mix—if not as the frontrunner—for the Hart Trophy.

Connor McDavid’s Hart Trophy Push

In three games since that frustrating loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he also made headlines for his post-game comments, McDavid has gone full McJesus mode. He’s racked up eight points (four goals, four assists) and, more importantly, led the Oilers to three straight wins, pulling them within three points of the Anaheim Ducks for the Pacific Division lead. And let’s not forget he’s been doing it all without Leon Draisaitl, who has missed the last seven games with a lower-body injury.

Oilers Connor McDavid has
13 points in 7 games since Draisaitl got hurt.

5 Goals 8 Assists.

Oilers 5-2-0 without 29.

— Bleed Oil Blue (@BleedOilBlue) March 28, 2026

While Draisaitl’s injury initially felt like a nightmare scenario for Edmonton, so far it’s turned into somewhat of a blessing in disguise—not only for the team stepping up in his absence, but especially for McDavid in his pursuit of the most prestigious regular-season award in hockey.

It’s a narrative that resonates in Hart Trophy races. We saw it in 2019-20 when Draisaitl elevated his game with McDavid sidelined, just as Evgeni Malkin infamously did without Sidney Crosby for the Pittsburgh Penguins back in 2011-12.

This race is far from over, and the odds will undoubtedly continue to shift down the stretch. Kucherov isn’t slowing down, Nathan MacKinnon still has more to say, and Macklin Celebrini—despite having cooled off—remains in the mix as he tries to push the Sharks toward a playoff spot.

All four superstars are deserving finalists, but if the face of the sport continues to produce and lead the Oilers to wins—perhaps even a division title—his case for a fourth Hart Trophy will be very difficult to deny.

Next: Do Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs Miss Each Other Already?