We’re headed down the stretch of the 2024-25 NHL season, so now is an ideal time to attempt to tie a bow on a number of the awards races and see if there’s any betting worth left on the board.
We’ll begin with the Hart Trophy, which might be of specific curiosity to readers of this column since we stumped for Connor Hellebuyck at 150/1 on this house earlier than the season kicked off.
He’s now the odds-on favourite at -135, however this isn’t a positive factor.
Nathan MacKinnon (+235) and Leon Draisaitl (+475) will each garner loads of assist from the voters, who are sometimes hesitant to offer this trophy to a goaltender.
That stated, I’ve a tough time seeing this award moving into every other route at this level.
Hellebuyck has the Jets in place to complete because the No. 1 seed within the Western Convention and win the Presidents’ Trophy, each of which appeared like pipe desires in October.
I feel the Michigan native must be a steeper favourite than his present worth, and I wouldn’t argue towards anyone backing him at this quantity.
The percentages are telling us that the Calder Trophy is a two-horse race between Lane Hutson (-160) and Macklin Celebrini (+125), however there’s a lengthy shot right here value contemplating.
The primary cause that the Flames are within the playoff race this season is due to goaltender Dustin Wolf.
The diminutive netminder is 24-15-5 with a .909 save share coming into play on Saturday and has a plus-13.4 Targets Saved Above Anticipated in his 44 appearances.
There’s a rising sentiment among the many hockey media that Wolf ought to get the Calder if the Flames make the playoffs, and I received’t stand in the best way of that logic.
Calgary is +350 to qualify for the postseason, and Wolf is 40/1 to be named Rookie of the 12 months. Do with that info what you need.
And at last, let’s speak in regards to the Selke Trophy, which is given to the league’s finest two-way ahead.
The betting market is certain that Aleksander Barkov (-1200) will repeat, however that looks as if a mad worth for an award that’s onerous to quantify.
Maybe Barkov is a prohibitive favourite as a result of this award tends to stay with one participant for some time, and he’s received it in two of the previous 4 seasons, however that does appear a little bit presumptuous, particularly since there are not any back-of-the-baseball-card stats that correlate to profitable the Selke, making it probably the most subjective of the person awards.
Betting on the NHL?
That’s why I feel there’s a ton of worth on Anze Kopitar of the Kings at 100/1.
Kopitar is a two-time winner of this award, enjoying a pivotal function for the most effective defensive groups within the NHL and is more likely to retire on the finish of subsequent season, although it wouldn’t be a shock for the 37-year-old to name it quits this spring.
When Kopitar does grasp ’em up, he will likely be remembered as one of the dominant defensive gamers of his technology, and I might simply see voters honoring that legacy by penciling him in on the prime of their ballots this June.
