The NHL season has surged past the midway point of the year with some show-stopping results. While Seattle fans might not love the performance of their team, many are still paying close attention to the excitement around the league. Several players across the NHL have stepped up and asserted themselves as favourites for the league’s MVP award, the Hart Trophy.
Sportsbooks have listed the top players that they consider the favourites to earn this iconic award. We are here to look over these options, with a guide to the players with the highest odds of earning the Hart Trophy.
Leon Draisaitl (+190)
Leon Draisaitl has long been one of the league’s most dominant players, but some overlook him because he shares a team with Connor McDavid. But the Oilers’ superstar has stepped into the spotlight, and sportsbooks have him as a clear favourite for the league’s MVP. This would be his second time winning the award. If we are to impart a bit of advice, these odds don’t seem favourable to bettors. While Draisaitl leads the league in goals for a division-leading Oilers team, there may be better values out there.
Nathan MacKinnon (+300)
Nathan MacKinnon is one of the game’s biggest stars, a dominant forward who won the Hart Trophy last year and could repeat that feat again. If you are looking for a strong value bet with some spare funds from Canada sportsbook promos, this might be the place to go. MacKinnon has the most points in the league right now, and he is on track to finish the year well over the 100-point mark while dragging a flawed Avalanche team into the playoffs. MacKinnon is unquestionably a top-three player in the league right now, and he doesn’t have a teammate of the same calibre as Connor McDavid to take the spotlight.
Connor Hellebuyck (+400)
The Winnipeg Jets have been dominant to start the season, and Connor Hellebuyck might be the biggest reason why. Hellebuyck is the clear favourite for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goalie, which he has already won twice before. But oddsmakers give him a strong chance of securing the Hart Trophy, which no goalie has done since 2015. Hellebuyck leads all goalies in save percentage, goals-against average, wins, and shutouts. It is hard to argue with a season like that.
Connor McDavid (+550)
Connor McDavid is the most dominant NHL player on the planet and has already won the Hart Trophy three times. If bettors want to take a longshot bet with their bonus funds, McDavid is the best option.
McDavid has missed a chunk of time due to injury but is still top five in scoring in the league. He is simply unstoppable. McDavid will have the opportunity to showcase his game on a new stage at the Four Nations tournament, and that can fuel a massive showing in the latter half of the year. His odds are hugely appealing.
Nikita Kucherov (+900)
Nikita Kucherov is seen by sportsbooks as something of a longshot to earn the Hart Trophy, but don’t overlook this dynamic Russian forward. This year has been another standard Kucherov season. He is third in the league in scoring and absolutely tearing apart the opposition. The Lightning, who lost Steven Stamkos in free agency, are still holding on to a playoff spot, and Kucherov is the biggest reason for that. If the Lightning can climb the standings and Kucherov continues to put up insane numbers, bettors might find that longshot bet pays off.
Quinn Hughes (+1600)
This is where we see a significant dip in the odds. Quinn Hughes is a superstar, fresh off a Norris Trophy, and is on track for another one. The Canucks have underperformed, but Hughes is not a reason why.
He is tied for the lead amongst defencemen in points and has been dominant when on the ice. But we would not recommend putting any funds or bonus funds on this line. Hughes is a defenceman on a struggling team that might trade a top player at the deadline. It is highly unlikely he gets the exposure necessary to claim the top individual award.
Kirill Kaprizov (+5000)
At one point, Kirill Kaprizov had climbed the rankings to be one of the top players for this award. He was tearing up the league, pushing the Wild on the standings, and establishing himself as one of the league’s premier players. Unfortunately, injuries have basically removed him from the race. Kaprizov has an incredible 52 points in 37 games, and if he had stayed healthy, he would make these odds look foolish. But at this point, as he is still on the shelf, we would recommend staying away from these odds.
