The National Hockey League Announces Finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy.
Introduction
The NHL has identified Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Nikita Kucherov as the three finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league's most valuable player.
Main Body
The selection process, conducted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association, centers on three established athletes. Connor McDavid, seeking a fourth trophy to equate his standing with Eddie Shore, secured his sixth scoring title with 138 points. His utility was further demonstrated by a productivity surge during the absence of teammate Leon Draisaitl. Conversely, Nathan MacKinnon's candidacy is predicated upon his role in securing the Presidents' Trophy for the Colorado Avalanche, having led the league in goals (53) and plus/minus rating (+57). Nikita Kucherov's inclusion is supported by a points-per-game average of 1.71, the highest in the league. Despite significant roster instability due to injuries within the Tampa Bay Lightning organization, Kucherov's output exceeded that of any other teammate by 42 points. Notably, Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks was excluded from the Hart finalists despite a franchise-record 115 points; this omission is likely attributable to the Sharks' failure to qualify for the playoffs. Celebrini's performance was, however, recognized by the NHLPA via a Ted Lindsay Award nomination, where he appeared alongside McDavid and Kucherov.
Conclusion
The final determination of the MVP will decide whether McDavid reaches a historic milestone or if MacKinnon or Kucherov secure a second trophy.
Learning
The Nuance of Nominalization and Precise Causality
At the B2 level, learners typically express cause and effect through verbs: "He was included because he had a high average." However, the jump to C2 requires the ability to transform actions into abstract concepts (nominalization) to create a denser, more academic, and more objective tone.
◈ The Linguistic Pivot
Observe the transition from simple causality to predicated logic in the text:
"Nathan MacKinnon's candidacy is predicated upon his role..."
Instead of saying "MacKinnon is a candidate because he helped his team," the author uses "candidacy" (noun) and "predicated upon" (a sophisticated phrasal verb meaning 'based on'). This shifts the focus from the person to the logic of the argument.
◈ The 'Attributable' Shift
Consider the analysis of Macklin Celebrini:
*"...this omission is likely attributable to the Sharks' failure..."
C2 Insight: The phrase "attributable to" functions as a high-level alternative to "caused by." It suggests a professional deduction rather than a simple fact. Note how "failure to qualify" turns a verb phrase ("they failed to qualify") into a complex noun phrase, allowing it to serve as the object of the preposition.
◈ Advanced Lexical Collocations for C2 Mastery
To replicate this style, move away from generic adjectives and integrate these high-precision pairings found in the text:
- Productivity surge (Instead of "worked harder" or "improved a lot")
- Roster instability (Instead of "many players were injured")
- Historic milestone (Instead of "big achievement")
Synthesis for the Learner: To move from B2 to C2, stop describing what happened and start describing the nature of the occurrence. Don't say "The team lost because they were tired"; say "The defeat is attributable to a marked decline in stamina."