Now that we're essentially at the midpoint of the NHL season, the MVP race is really getting interesting.

Despite a crowded field with many qualified candidates, several superstars have managed to separate themselves by cranking it up a notch. Here are our top five contenders for the Hart Trophy as things stand right now:

5. Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

Mikko Rantanen's been piling up points in his own right, but MacKinnon's the primary reason that the Colorado Avalanche's top line has been so explosive, even now that it no longer includes Gabriel Landeskog.

It would be tough to argue that Rantanen wouldn't see a significant drop in production without MacKinnon as his center, whereas MacKinnon would still produce at an elite level regardless of his linemates.

MacKinnon, last year's Hart Trophy runner-up, ranks fifth in points and sits top 10 in both goals and assists. He's posted six goals and 13 helpers across his last 15 games, and he's recorded at least one point in five straight contests.

4. Nikita Kucherov, Lightning

The league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning are absolutely loaded with talent, but Kucherov is on another level right now.

He's posted at least four points in three of his last five contests, he's scored in five consecutive games, and he's riding a 12-game point streak that includes eight goals and 19 assists.

Kucherov might not get as many Hart votes due to all the help around him, but he's putting himself in the conversation with this dominant run.

3. John Gibson, Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks currently sit in a playoff position, but they would be a basement dweller without Gibson, who's played exceptionally well despite getting absolutely bombarded.

Anaheim's allowed the second-most shots against per game, yet Gibson's produced the league's best goals saved above average at five-on-five to go along with a stellar .924 save percentage. And somehow, he's allowed more than three goals in just two of his last 20 games.

Meanwhile, only the lowly Los Angeles Kings have scored less than the Ducks, so Gibson's not getting any help at the other end.

With all that considered, the 25-year-old is starting to make a pretty convincing case that he's been the best netminder in the league this season and deserves to be a Hart finalist.

2. Connor McDavid, Oilers

While McDavid's probably been the most valuable player to his team this season (which we've said in the past - twice), the Edmonton Oilers have taken a nosedive recently, losing six straight games before snapping that skid Wednesday. And while those woes aren't McDavid's fault in the least, voters will likely penalize him if the Oilers continue to plummet.

Edmonton currently ranks in the bottom third of the league in goals, but McDavid's figured in on an astounding 54 percent of them (61 of 113) and has scored 20 percent of them himself.

If the Oilers are anywhere near a playoff spot in April, McDavid will warrant serious Hart consideration, but he'll be hard-pressed to claim the honor if Edmonton bottoms out, regardless of how unfair that might be.

1. Alex Ovechkin, Capitals

The NHL's goals leader had been mired in a six-game drought before Thursday night, but Ovechkin busted out while etching his name in the record books, becoming only the second player in league history to begin a career with 14 straight 30-goal seasons.

The 33-year-old is carrying the first-place Washington Capitals, having scored nearly 22 percent of their goals and figuring in on one-third of them. He's also potted more than double the amount of goals than his closest teammate, Jakub Vrana (12), while only three other Capitals besides Ovechkin and Vrana have reached double-digits.

Ovechkin's shooting percentage will likely regress closer to his career average by season's end, but what he's doing at this age is utterly remarkable.

Honorable mentions: Rantanen, David Pastrnak, Elias Pettersson, Jack Eichel.

ATOI = Average time on ice
SCF% = Percentage of scoring chances generated by the player's team with him on the ice at 5-on-5
CF% = Percentage of shot attempts generated by the player's team with him on the ice at 5-on-5
HDSV% = Save percentage on high-danger shots
GSAA = Goals saved above average (calculated by applying a goaltender's save percentage and total shots faced to the league average save percentage)

(Analytics courtesy: Natural Stat Trick)

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Vancouver Canucks rookie Elias Pettersson will have an MRI on his right knee Friday, the team confirmed.

"I’m walking fine," he said Friday, adding that he feels better than he did after sustaining the injury.

Pettersson hurt his right knee Thursday night after getting tangled up with Montreal Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi in the second period. Pettersson immediately reached for the knee after the collision. He left the game and didn't return.

Canucks head coach Travis Green said postgame that he didn't expect Pettersson to play Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but didn't think he'd be out for long.

Pettersson, who was named to the Pacific Division All-Star team Wednesday, leads all rookies with 22 goals and 42 points.

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Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak showed no remorse when discussing a matchup with his former team, the Los Angeles Kings, on Thursday.

Cernak, a second-round pick by the Kings in 2015, was sent to Tampa Bay as a key part of a deal that brought goaltender Ben Bishop to Los Angeles in 2016-17.

"I was pretty happy when they traded me," Cernak told The Athletic's Joe Smith. "I came to development camp and everyone was friendly to me. It was much different than L.A."

Cernak has carved out a nice role for the first-place Lightning. Entering Thursday, the 21-year-old had seven points in 21 games in his rookie season and has most recently found himself in the team's top-four on defense, playing alongside veteran Ryan McDonagh.

The Kings, meanwhile, have 35 points - tied for the fewest in the NHL.

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Welcome to Puck Pursuit, a weekly NHL podcast hosted by John Matisz, theScore's National Hockey Writer.

Subscribe to the show on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play.

This week, John is joined by Ryan Stimson of The Athletic to discuss a variety of topics:

• Is the NHL All-Star selection process too restrictive?
• Sizing up the Sabres' (largely successful) first half
• Dialing back expectations for Casey Mittelstadt
• 'Q' and the Sabres: A hypothetical perfect fit?
• Tape to Space: Redefining Modern Hockey Tactics

... and more!

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Vancouver Canucks stud rookie Elias Pettersson left Thursday night's game with a lower-body injury after getting tied up with Montreal Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi and did not return.

Here's the incident that occurred in the second period:

Pettersson immediately reached for his right knee after getting untangled from Kotkaniemi. He skated off the ice under his own power.

After the game, Canucks head coach Travis Green said he doesn't expect Pettersson to play on Saturday in Toronto, but the 20-year-old likely won't be out too long, according to TSN 1040. Green also added that Pettersson will remain with the club on its road trip.

The Canucks' rookie missed six games earlier this season with a concussion, but he still leads all first-year players in scoring with 42 points in 37 games. He was named to the Pacific Division All-Star team on Wednesday.

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Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continues to build his case as the greatest goal scorer ever.

Ovechkin notched his 30th goal of the season on Thursday, becoming just the second player in NHL history to begin their career with 14 consecutive 30-goal seasons, according to Capitals Public Relations. Fellow Caps legend Mike Gartner began his career with 15 straight 30-goal campaigns. Jaromir Jagr had a 15-year streak of 30 goals, but it was not to begin his career.

Here's a look at the goal, in which Ovechkin snipes from the opposite side of the ice we've become accustomed to seeing him bury.

Ovechkin's 30th came in just his 39th game this season, matching his lowest game total to 30 goals from 2007-08, when he potted a career-high 65, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti.

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Toronto Maple Leafs phenom Auston Matthews was voted as the Atlantic Division's captain at the 2019 NHL All-Star game, but if he had it his way, he'd sacrifice his spot for teammates Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly, who were left off the roster.

"In my opinion, having missed the time I did, seeing those three guys, the way they played - Johnny (Tavares), Mitch (Marner), and Mo (Rielly) - I think I'd give up my spot for them any day of the week because they've had unbelievable seasons," Matthews told TSN's Kristen Shilton.

Matthews missed a month with a shoulder injury, but still sits second on the Maple Leafs in goals (19) and fourth in points (36) despite skating in only 26 of the team's 40 games.

Tavares - who was named to the All-Star game roster - Marner, and Rielly have served as the team's offensive catalysts from the beginning of the season, all the way through to the midway mark of the 2018-19 campaign.

Rielly's 44 points are the most among NHL defensemen, while Marner leads the Leafs with 55 points and sits fourth in the league with 40 assists. The controversial All-Star game format - which requires one representative from each team - is responsible for leaving two of the league's premier players out of the midseason festivities.

For Marner, being left off the team despite a breakout season isn't a concern.

"Focus on here, focus on helping this team win. Nothing you can do about it," Marner told Shilton, adding that it would be cool to be there, but "it's not a big deal ... there's bigger things in the world to think about than that."

Rielly can still crack the roster thanks to a fan vote, but Marner's chances of making the All-Star game would seemingly need to come as an injury replacement, and given the format, that injury would likely need to occur to Matthews or Tavares.

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Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel will miss at least the next two games and be re-evaluated early next week as he deals with an upper-body injury, head coach Phil Housley announced Thursday.

Eichel was banged up versus the New York Islanders on New Year's Eve and left the contest after just four shifts.

The 22-year-old ranks 10th in NHL scoring with 49 points in 40 games, and was named to the Atlantic Division All-Star team on Wednesday.

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