NHL Awards Rankings: New No. 1 in MVP race

2. Jack Hughes, C, New Jersey Devils

Jack Hughes has slowly but steadily improved since his first season in 2019-20, and last season was a breakout. In 2022-23, he put up 99 points and 43 goals en route to an eighth-place finish for the Hart. 

Through six games in 2023-24, Hughes has 17 points and four goals in six games. While he’s not scoring as many goals as the others on this list, his points total so far this season is nearing three per game. 

Do the math, and at this point, Hughes is on pace to score 232 this season. It’s tough to see him or anyone keeping that pace up, but nonetheless, he’s on pace for perhaps a legendary year. Hughes would be number one in these rankings, but one player may have proven themselves to be just a tad more valuable. 

1. Alex DeBrincat, RW, Detroit Red Wings

You knew there would be a shocker at number one, but is it any coincidence that the Detroit Red Wings have been surging in Alex DeBrincat’s first season with the team? Detroit has played pedestrian hockey over the past two seasons, but DeBrincat’s presence has pushed them over the top in the 2023-24 season’s early going. 

He has 13 points, one less than teammate Dylan Larkin, but his nine goals set him apart from the other skaters on this list. Further, DeBrincat is a physical player, having racked up 109 hits last season when he was with the Ottawa Senators. If DeBrincat keeps scoring goals the way he has through seven games, he will be a serious contender for the Hart.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)