Hart Trophy: Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers)Finalists: Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets), Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild) Other Votes: Nathan MacKinnon, Quinn Hughes, Jack Eichel, Nikita ...

The Hart Trophy race is crowded as the NHL hits the midway point of its season. Adam Vingan explores five players who have a strong MVP case so far.

It’s always a solid bet that the Edmonton Oilers are going to be well-represented at the NHL Awards in the summer. That’s not just because the team boasts the game’s top player in Connor McDavid, a perennial favourite to lead the league in scoring and be voted as the Most Valuable Player.

We’re right around the league’s halfway point which is a perfect time to check in on the major awards races. A lot has changed over the last five weeks. Not everything has changed — Connor Hellebuyck will probably win back-to-back Vezinas and someone from Florida deserves the Selke — but the other races have certainly seen some interesting movement.

With every team now having played 40+ games, it’s a great time to reflect on the season so far and look at some of the incredible performances we’ve seen from players around the league.