Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov were named finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award on Wednesday.
Voted on by fellow members of the NHL Players’ Association, it is presented annually to the most outstanding player in the NHL.
Matthews won the trophy in 2021-22 and Kucherov claimed it in 2018-19, while MacKinnon is looking for his first Ted Lindsay Award.
Matthews led the NHL with 69 goals and scored a career-high 107 points in 81 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 26-year-old forward became just the 10th player in NHL history to record six or more hat tricks in a season.
MacKinnon was second in the league with 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists) in 82 games for the Colorado Avalanche. The 28-year-old forward opened the season with a 35-game points streak at home and led the NHL in shots (405).
Kucherov set a Tampa Bay franchise record and topped the NHL with 144 points (44 goals, 100 assists) in 81 games for the Lightning. The 30-year-old forward also topped the league with 53 points on the power play.