McDavid Heavy Favorite To Win NHL Hart Trophy

Based on recent outcomes, there's a 50% chance that the Hart Trophy winner this season as the MVP of the NHL will be someone who is playing for the Edmonton Oilers.

Over the past eight NHL seasons, four times the Hart Trophy as been won by a member of the Oilers and oddsmakers are seeing this trend continuing following the conclusion of the 2024-25 NHL regular season.

It's Oilers center and captain Connor McDavid who is being set forward at the +190 favorite in the NHL Hart Trophy odds. That's not at all surprising, considering that McDavid has been named the MVP of the NHL three times in the past eight years.

Let's take a look at the latest Hart Trophy odds.

NHL Hart Trophy Odds
Connor McDavid	+190	+190	+190
Nikita Kucherov	+400	+400	+400
Nathan MacKinnon	+850	+850	+850
Kirill Kaprizov	+1000	+1000	+1000
Artemi Panarin	+1200	+1200	+1200
Auston Matthews	+1200	+1200	+1200
Cale Makar	+1800	+1800	+1800
David Pastrnak	+2500	+2500	+2500
Leon Draisaitl	+2500	+2500	+2500
Jack Hughes	+3000	+3000	+3000
Jack Eichel	+3300	+3300	+3300
Igor Shesterkin	+5000	+5000	+5000
Connor Bedard	+6000	+6000	+6000

Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, is the +400 second betting choice in this betting market. Kucherov won the Hart Trophy in 2019. Reigning Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche is set at odds of +850. No other player is being assigned a betting line shorter than +1000.

Nikita Kucherov to Brayden Point, 2-0 Tampa 🚨#GoBolts pic.twitter.com/cCTatUnExJ

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) October 27, 2024

Before we take a deeper dive into the NHL Hart Trophy futures and best bets, why not check out our handy NHL betting guide to see where the best NHL odds and picks are located. As well, these online sportsbook reviews will help you determine which betting site is the one that's going to service your NHL wagering needs on a comprehensive basis. And if you're someone who is living life on the go, these are the best sports betting apps that can help you get your NHL bets down in the midst of your busy schedule.

McDavid Shows Odd Hart Trophy Betting Trend

There's an interesting betting trend at work when it comes to McDavid and the Hart Trophy. All three of his wins have come in odd-numbered years - 2017, 2021 and 2023.

Connor McDavid (+190)

Injury slowed McDavid last season and probably cost him the Hart. But he also showed why he's the greatest player on the planet. In a 10-day span late in the season, McDavid when from outside the top 100 in NHL scoring to inside the top 10.

He averaged 1.74 points per game last season. McDavid was also playoff MVP as the Oilers lost the Stanley Cup final in seven games to the Florida Panthers. Another win would give him four Harts, the most of any active player.

Nikita Kucherov (+400)

Kucherov is the one person who was able to shatter the McDavid odd-year streak with his Hart win in 2019. That season the Tampa Bay forward was NHL scoring champion with 41-87-128 totals.

Nikita Kucherov To win NHL Hart Trophy

+400

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Last season, Kucherov won his second Art Ross Trophy, posting monster 44-100-144 digits. And yet that wasn't good enough to earn him the Hart.

Nathan MacKinnon (+850)

The reigning Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP, MacKinnon is coming off his best season as an NHLer. MacKinnon was accounting for 51-89-140 numbers. It was his second successive 100-point campaign.

However, the Avalanche feel like a team in decline. And much of the Hart consideration goes to how much a player is helping his team to succeed. And no player has won consecutive Harts since Alex Ovechkin did it in 2008 and 2009.

Kirill Kaprizov (+1000)

Kaprizov is the most exciting and productive player on a Minnesota Wild team that doesn't seem to excite anyone. And that's part of his problem. He's also not someone who seeks out the spotlight, so Kaprizov doesn't get the same attention as the other Hart contenders.

The evidence is in the ballots. Kaprizov got zero Hart Trophy votes last season. He garnered a solitary third-place ballot in 2023. It was in 2022 when he had his best Hart showing. He'd garner two firsts, four seconds, four thirds, 13 fourths and 19 fifths. Still, it's hard to go from zero to hero in one season.

NHL Hart Trophy Trophy Longshots To Consider

Auston Matthews (+1200) was the Hart Trophy winner in 2022 but it took a 60-goal season from him to get the nod. The newly-anointed Toronto Maple Leafs captain would need a similar type of campaign to gain consideration this season.

It could be a huge season for the New York Rangers and that's going to shine the spotlight on Artemi Panarin, their most explosive player. He's already made some franchise history this year by becoming the first Rangers player to ever open an NHL season with four successive multi--point games.

Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (+2800) has the shortest Hart Trophy odds among rearguards and there's a reason for that. Traditionally, defensemen aren't the best bets when looking at the Hart odds in NHL futures. Since 1972, just one defenseman - Chris Pronger of the St. Louis Blues in 2000 - has been named NHL MVP.

Goaltenders also tend to be bad choices in NHL betting on the Hart. You can access +5000 odds on Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers, but again, while not as unlikely as defensemen, goalies also don't get much love from Hart voters. There's only been four goaltenders who've won the Hart since 1962.

Hart Trophy Pick

Betting against McDavid is always going to be a real gamble. Over his career, he has consistently delivered the goods and that he's the No. 1 player in the world today is beyond debate.

Connor McDavid To win NHL Hart Trophy

+190

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Along with his unusual trait of winning the Hart in odd-numbered years, there's also the fact that McDavid tends to bounce back with a vengeance in seasons following a Hart win by someone else.