Analysis: Why star Nathan MacKinnon is going to win MVP honors

Nathan MacKinnon did not become one of five players to ever record 100 assists in an NHL season. There are four candidates — MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov — who had extraordinary seasons, and all would be worthy winners. One of those guys — Sidney Crosby, Connor Hellebuyck, Quinn Hughes and Artemi Panarin — is going to finish no better than eighth in the voting.