NHL MVP Odds: Who is Favored to Win the Hart Trophy 2024-25?

By Ray Fittipaldo
Fact Checked by Peter Mooney

Colorado star Nathan McKinnon won his first Hart Trophy in 2024 -- highlighted by his first 50-goal season, will he win again this season? 

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan McKinnon

McDavid is coming off a 132-point season, the second-highest point total of his nine-year career. Toronto's Auston Matthews led the NHL in goals last season with 69 and is among the favorites again. New Jersey's Jack Hughes had 74 points in 62 games last season and has a chance to contend if he can stay healthy all season. All of these stars will make it a tight MVP race.

🏆 Who is the favorite to win the NHL Hart trophy?

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, here are the current odds of the favorites to win the Hart Trophy.

🏒 Player🔥 Odds
Connor McDavid+150
Nathan McKinnon+650
Auston Matthews+900
Jack Hughes+1300
Leon Draisaitl+2000

Connor McDavid MVP Odds

McDavid won the Hart Trophy in 2017, 2021 and 2023. He came in third in the voting last year finishing the season third in scoring behind Nikita Kucherov and Nathan McKinnon. McDavid is the heavy favorite this season after setting his career high in assists last season with 100. He is trying to become one of four players in NHL history to win the Hart Trophy four or more times. Eddie Shore (4), Gordie Howe (6) and Wayne Gretzky (9) are the only ones to do it.

Auston Matthews MVP Odds

Auston Matthews, who won the Hart Trophy in 2022, came in fourth in the voting last season after notching a career-high 69 goals. Matthews' goal-scoring touch will keep him in the conversation again this season, but he might have to score a few more points to challenge the likes of McDavid and others. When he won the Hart Trophy in '22 he had a career-high 46 assists.

Nathan MacKinnon MVP Odds

MacKinnon is coming off the best season of his stellar career, setting career highs in goals (51) and assists (89). His 140 points shattered his previous career high off 111 in 2022-23. MacKinnon is trying to become the first player since Alex Ovechkin in 2008 and 2009 to win the Hart Trophy in consecutive seasons.

 

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Hart Trophy

Who are the Sleepers in the Hart Trophy Race?

The Hart Trophy rarely is awarded to a player who is not among the game's superstars, but it has occasionally happened over the years. In 2018, New Jersey's Taylor Hall had a career year with 93 points, 40 more points than he had the previous season. In 2011, Corey Perry scored a career-high 50 goals and won. He didn't come close to 50 before that season nor did he after his magical career year.

Connor Bedard

Bedard won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year, and he could take a big leap in his second season. Bedard had 61 points in 68 games last season. Among the players who have won the Hart Trophy in their second NHL season are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. He began the season at +4000.

Matthew Tkachuk

Tkachuk led the Florida Panthers to their first Stanely Cup title last season, and now he'll try to win his first MVP. Tkachuk is no stranger to contending for MVP. He finished third in the voting in 2023. With more attention focused on the Panthers after they won their first championship, Tkachuk will have more fanfare than he's ever had in his eight-year career. Tkachuk also opened the season at +4000.

Andrei Vasilevskiy

Every once in a while, a goaltender has a career year and wins the Hart Trophy. Vasilevskiy already has a Conn Smythe Trophy on his resume when he led the Lightning to the Stanely Cup in 2021. Since 2000, only two goalies have won the Hart Trophy -- Jose Theodore in 2002 and Carey Price in 2015.

 

Betting on the NHL MVP

How to Bet on the NHL MVP

Want to make a bet on the Hart Trophy? Go to your favorite sports betting site or Ontario betting app and check out the awards section. You'll be able to find the Hart Trophy odds there. Once you set up an account you are ready to place your bet. If you place an early bet on a longshot you have a better chance to win a big bet, but you can place a bet anytime throughout the season as the odds change. Come back to this page often to see how the race unfolds during the 2023-24 season.

How the Hart Trophy Voting Works

The Hart Trophy is selected by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Each writer casts a ballot with five players on it and they're given points based on where they are ordered (10-7-5-3-1). Once the votes are tallied, three finalists are named. The trophy is awarded at the NHL Awards Ceremony following the Stanley Cup playoffs.

 
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How to Find the Best Odds

Odds vary from sportsbook to sportsbook so do your homework and visit a few before you place your bet. DraftKings is an NHL partner and has good information on its site and app. The other major sportsbooks also have dedicated coverage of the NHL sports betting scene. 

NHL Hart Trophy Winners From The Past 20 Years

Player

Team

Season

Nathan MacKinnonColorado Avalanche2023-24

Connor McDavid

Oilers

2022-23

Auston Matthews

Maple Leafs

2021-22

Connor McDavid

Oilers

2020-21

Leo Draisaitl

Oilers

2019-20

Nikita Kucherov

Lightning

2018-19

Taylor Hall

Devils

2017-18

Connor McDavid

Oilers

2016-17

Patrick Kane

Blackhawks

2015-16

Carey Price

Canadiens

2014-15

Sidney Crosby

Penguins

2013-14

Alexander Ovechkin

Capitals

2012-13

Evgeni Malkin

Penguins

2011-12

Corey Perry

Ducks

2010-11

Henrik Sedin

Canucks

2009-10

Alexander Ovechkin

Capitals

2008-09

Alexander Ovechkin

Capitals

2007-08

Sidney Crosby

Penguins

2006-07

Joe Thornton

Bruins/Sharks

2005-06

Martin St. Louis

Lightning

2003-04

Peter Forsberg

Avalanche

2002-03

 
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NHL Hart Trophy Trivia

  • Wayne Gretzky's nine MVPs not only are the most ever in NHL history, but he also holds the record for most MVPs in any North American team sport, including the NFL, MLB and NBA.
  • There have only been two unanimous Hart Trophy winners -- Gretzky in the 1981-82 season and Connor McDavid in the 2020-21 season.
  • The team with the most Hart Trophy winners is the Canadiens with 17.
  • Joe Thornton is the only player to win the Hart Trophy after being traded at midseason. Thornton started the 2005-06 season with the Bruins, but they traded him to the Sharks.
  • The first American to win the Hart Trophy was Brett Hull, who won it as a member of the Blues in 1990-91. Natives of Canada had won all of the MVPs before Hull.

NHL MVP Award FAQ

Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov finished the regular season with a league-high 144 points.

Quinn Hughes is the only defenseman that has a chance to finish top five in the MVP voting this year. He's attempting to win his first Hart trophy.

Nathan McKinnon finished the regular season as the Hart favorite.

Author

Ray Fittipaldo

Ray has worked in sports journalism for the past 26 years, covering Super Bowls, Stanley Cup Finals, Final Fours and BCS national championship games.

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