The seemingly endless month of January is lastly behind us, and meaning the dash to the Stanley Cup playoffs is formally on.
However that additionally means the race for NHL awards is selecting up too, particularly the Hart Trophy, which is yearly given to the league’s most precious participant.
A bona fide favourite has risen to the highest because the NHL embarks on the 12-day 4-Nations Face-Off break. However there’s nonetheless time for the MVP to avail himself within the 30-or-so-game dash to the end.
Right here is the place the chances stand as of Feb. 10.
NHL Hart Trophy Odds
2024-25 Hart Trophy Favourite
Leon Draisaitl, F, Oilers (-110)
Draisaitl was the primary participant to attain 40 targets and ranks second within the NHL in factors (83) on the 4 Nations break. But, in contrast to lots of his friends, Draisaitl will get a break in the course of the event, since he hails from Germany.
Draisaitl’s candidacy is nearly all the time linked with McDavid’s, because the German-born ahead will both be favored or penalized if Edmonton’s captain has a down yr. Thus, with McDavid down the record of level producers, primarily because of an early-season damage, Draisaitl is the Hart favourite because the Oilers are atop the Pacific Division.
Don’t begin etching Draisaitl’s title onto the trophy simply but, since there are bona fide contenders listed under. But when the Oilers keep close to the highest, and Draisaitl continues to steer the Oilers in scoring, he’ll win the award.
2025 Hart Trophy Contenders
Nathan MacKinnon, C, Avalanche (+220)
MacKinnon lastly received the monkey off his again and gained the Hart Trophy in 2024 after years of shut misses. Plus, he’s arguably the sport’s most dynamic participant since he leads the NHL in factors and is on tempo to place up 110-plus factors for the third straight season – and 120-plus for the second yr in a row.
Sadly for MacKinnon, his group has not adopted his lead, because the Avs have been sitting in fourth place within the Central Division, clearly behind the Jets, Stars and Wild all season. If MacKinnon places up factors, and the Avs get again into the top-two or top-three, he’ll garner severe consideration.
But, additionally standing in MacKinnon’s approach is the actual fact there has not been a repeat winner since Alex Ovechkin in 2007-08 and 2008-09. McDavid hasn’t even finished it. So though MacKinnon is among the sport’s hottest gamers, there could possibly be voters who penalize him for successful it a season in the past – regardless of how insane that’s.
Connor Hellebuyck, G, Jets (+290)
Hellebuyck is having a whale of a yr, main the NHL in wins (34), goals-against common (2.06), save share (.925) and shutouts as of Feb. 10. Plus, the Jets are sitting atop the Central Division and enter February as by far the perfect group within the Western Convention.
Hellebuyck is worthy of the accolades, and he’ll run away with the Vezina Trophy this season. However no goalie has gained the award since Carey Worth in 2014-15, and solely Sergei Bobrovsky (2017) and Igor Shesterkin (2023) have been finalists for the award since.
Nonetheless, Hellebuyck is the consensus greatest goalie, and absent a dominant, runaway ahead, this could possibly be his yr to make a severe run on the Hart.
Connor McDavid, C, Oilers (+1600)
You’ll be able to nearly all the time pencil the Oilers captain in as a Hart Trophy favourite, particularly since he has not gained the award since 2023 – or what looks like an eternity in McDavid years.
However McDavid isn’t tearing up the league in true McDavid vogue, since he’s tied for fourth within the NHL in factors (71) He nonetheless is averaging greater than 1.4 factors per recreation, which is a 118-point tempo, and missed three video games with a lower-body damage earlier within the yr, which is affecting his output too.
Nonetheless, McDavid is among the many favorites as a result of he’s able to turning up his recreation at any level, and at these odds, betting on him to take action – whilst a sprinkle – is well worth the funding, particularly as these insanely lengthy odds.
Who Will Win the 2025 Hart Trophy?
It’s a robust query to reply on the season’s midway level. However, barring a McDavid-caliber onslaught over the ultimate three months, we might vote for Hellebuyck to win the award as the primary goalie in 10 years to win the award.
The Jets are close to the NHL lead in factors, and though they lead the NHL in targets scored, in addition they are close to the highest of the goals-against record. With Hellebuyck as a lot of a lock as anybody to win the Vezina, he ought to win the Hart too – particularly if he can have an enormous event at 4 Nations as effectively.
Draisaitl can be second, and MacKinnon would end third.
Nonetheless, something can occur down the stretch and any of the above-listed gamers can nonetheless win the 2025 Hart Trophy.
