The Edmonton Oilers almost completed the greatest comeback in Stanley Cup history but fell one game short. Connor McDavid was named the Conn Smythe winner, only the second non-goalie on a losing team to capture the award. That puts him in line as the clear cut favorite to win the Hart for the fourth time in his career. Is this a no-brainer or are there others who could challenge McDavid for the honor?
Connor McDavid (+150)
At these short odds it’s tough to find a betting interest but then again, it could be one of the sure bets in 2025. After losing in the Cup Finals Connor McDavid will be fired up this season. He finished with 132 points in 76 games last year, third overall. He also became just the fourth player to hit 100 assists in a single season. There’s no question, he’s the best player on the planet and this coming season McDavid will be on a mission.
Nathan MacKinnon (+550)
Nathan MacKinnon is looking to repeat after winning his first Hart Trophy just beating out McDavid and Nikita Kucherov last season. MacKinnon hit the 50-goal mark for the first time in his career finishing with 51. He’ll be the main offensive threat in Colorado but will be without Valeri Nichushkin for a chunk of the season as he’s in the player’s assistance program. If MacKinnon has a season like 2024 he’ll definitely be a finalist once again.
Auston Matthews (+800)
If there’s a season where Auston Matthews wins another Hart, it has to be this one. He is the most prolific goal scorer in the NHL right now scoring 69 last year and 106 points. While he scored in bunches, Matthews’ game had some flaws and prevented him from being a finalist for the Hart. Can he hit 70 this year? Well, he has even more motivation to do that as he was named captain going into this season. Matthews won the award in 2022 and has scored at least 40 goals six times, twice hitting the 60 goal plateau.
Dark Horse Pick Connor Bedard (+3300)
Connor Bedard was named NHL rookie of the year after scoring 61 points in 68 games. Can he take his game to the next level this season? The Blackhawks added some pieces around him to help him out. Bedard has been considered a generational player and only two other players have won the Hart in their second year, Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. At these odds, it’s worth a shot.
Hart Trophy Odds
Connor McDavid +150
Nathan MacKinnon +550
Auston Matthews +800
Jack Hughes +1400
Nikita Kucherov +1800
Kirill Kaprizov +2000
Leon Draisaitl +2200
David Pastrnak +2500
Cale Makar +2500
Connor Bedard +3300
Matthew Tkachuk +4000
Jason Robertson +5000
Artemi Panarin +5000
Quinn Hughes +5000
