The 2024-2025 NHL Hart Trophy odds are now available. With past Hart Trophy winners featuring all-time greats such as Wayne Gretzky (nine-times), Mario Lemieux (three-times) and Sidney Crosby (two-times), the NHL award for the most valuable player to their team is arguably the most prestigious NHL award.
Bettors will see NHL betting odds on the Hart Trophy move throughout the season as top players emerge as legitimate contenders for the award. Be sure to stay informed on the latest odds below and score a big win this season with this lucrative NHL futures bet.
Hart Trophy Odds to Win 2024-25 NHL MVP Award
Here’s who’s currently favoured to win the MVP in the upcoming season. Please note that these odds are subject to change. We will keep this page updated as we progress through the season!
| MVP Nominee | Hart Trophy Odds |
|---|---|
| Kirill Kaprizov | +340 |
| Conor McDavid | +340 |
| Nathan MacKinnon | +375 |
| Nikita Kucherov | +600 |
| Artemi Panarin | +1600 |
| Cale Makar | +2200 |
Hart Trophy Favorites 2024-25: Season Predictions
Heading into the 2024-25 NHL season, there are several viable contenders to claim the Hart Trophy in 2025. We brake down why each of these players is considered a top betting option to win the NHL MVP award and whether they’re a good bet to make.
You can’t go wrong with any of these picks for the latest NHL MVP 2025 odds. Use our expert picks to help you nab your next payday come the NHL awards ceremony.
Connor McDavid Hart Trophy Odds
Already a three-time MVP winner in just nine seasons, Connor McDavid is one of the current favourites to win the Hart at +340 odds.
Having claimed the award in 2017, 2021, and 2023, the Oilers superstar is poised for yet another sensational season. Having scored over 100 points in four-straight seasons, McDavid uses his elite stick handling ability and blazing-fast speed to slice through defenses and create scoring chances out of thin air.
Seemingly only getting better each season, McDavid is never a bad bet when it comes to the 2025 Hart Trophy odds.
Nathan MacKinnon Hart Trophy Odds
The reigning Hart Trophy recipient, Nathan MacKinnon is rightfully in the mix for the league MVP once again this season. Last year was MacKinnon’s first Hart Trophy win, having snagged the award after scoring a career-high 51 goals for a total of 140 points. After coming up short in the Hart Trophy voting in multiple previous seasons, the Avalanche superstar finally broke through in 2024 with his career-best season.
Looking to build off the momentum of his best individual season as a pro, MacKinnon holds the second-best odds to win the Hart at +375 odds.
Auston Matthews Hart Trophy Odds
Another former Hart Trophy recipient, newly-named Toronto Maple Leafs captain, Auston Matthews is ready to lead by example by claiming the leagues top honour. Having claimed a Hart Trophy win in 2022, Matthews is sure to be in the conversation once again this season.
Leading the charge on a high-powered Maple Leafs offence, Matthews is arguably the best goal-scorer in the NHL today. With his knack for finding the back of the net and the expected team success to come, Matthews currently holds +4000 odds for the 2025 Hart Trophy.
Nikita Kucherov Hart Trophy Odds
Rounding out the top-four in Hart Trophy odds comes another former NHL MVP winner, Nikita Kucherov.
Having claimed the Hart Trophy in the 2018-19 season, Kucherov has continued to be an elite talent in the NHL. Always in the mix of the MVP conversation, Kuch is the heart-and-soul of the high-powered Tampa Bay Lightning squad.
As the Lightning continue to be playoff contenders through Kucherov’s top-tier play, at +600 odds to win the 2024-25 Hart Trophy, the current runner-up in the oddsmakers eyes could stun bettors and take home the hardware this season.
Previous NHL Hart Trophy Winners
The Hart trophy has been won by some of the greatest players to ever lace up a pair of skates and take the ice in the NHL. With names like Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Alexander Ovechkin, and Mario Lemieux having claimed wins of this prestigious award in the past, this award can turn a regular player into a legend.
Previous Hart Trophy Winners From the Past Ten Years:
- 2024: Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche
- 2023: Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
- 2022: Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 2021: Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
- 2020: Leon Draisaitl, C, Edmonton Oilers
- 2019: Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2018: Taylor Hall, LW, New Jersey Devils
- 2017: Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
- 2016: Patrick Kane, RW, Chicago Blackhawks
- 2015: Carey Price, G, Montreal Canadiens
Hart Trophy Odds 2025: Betting Tips and Strategies
While there’s no way to know for sure who’s going to win the 2024-25 Hart Trophy, bettors can gain some useful insight into their betting strategies with the tips and trends found below.
Use this information to help number down the list of potential betting options, find the best angles, and secure a massive payday thanks to our Hart Trophy odds tips and strategies.
What Position Should You Focus on Betting?
Forwards, and more recently centres, have dominated the Hart Trophy Award. In the last 15 seasons the Hart Trophy victor has been a centreman, with much of this credit going to the recent dominance of Edmonton Oilers superstar, Connor McDavid, having won three Hart trophies in the past eight years.
Since 2000, only three times has the Hart Trophy been awarded to a player other than a forward, with defenceman Chris Pronger winning it back in the 1999-2000 season, and goaltenders Jose Theodore and Carey Price winning the MVP award in 2001-02 and 2014-15 seasons respectively.
As the trend of forwards winning the Hart Trophy has no end in sight, be sure to keep your MVP bets isolated to this position group as it will give you the best odds of winning your futures bet.
Goaltenders Chances on the Decline
In recent years, NHL games have seen an uptick in goals scored per game. This has caused goaltender stats to drop, therefore making the chances of a goaltender winning the award slim to none.
The Hart Trophy has been awarded 99 times heading into the 2024-25 NHL season, but only eight times has it ever gone to a goalie. The only goaltender to ever win the Hart Trophy on multiple occasions is “The Dominator” Dominik Hasek, who won the award in back-to-back season in 1997 and 1998.
Opening with the top odds to win the Hart as a goalie this season is the New York Rangers Igor Shesterkin. Shesterkin finished third in MVP voting in the 2021-22 season. With the Rangers once again looking like a formidable force this season, he may be on track to be featured on a few ballots this year.
While Montreal Canadiens netminder Carey Price proved it isn’t impossible for a goalie to emerge as a Hart Trophy selection in the modern era, we certainly wouldn’t advise placing any bets on a goalie to win it this season.
Can the MVP come from a Non-Playoff Team?
While not impossible, it takes a historical season to win the MVP when playing for a non-playoff team. This has only ever happened four-times in league history, most recently by Leon Draisaitl in the 2019-20 season.
Technically, the Oilers did play in the postseason in a cut-short campaign by the COVID-19 pandemic, but did not break into the final Stanley Cup playoff bracket after losing in the qualifying round to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Other players to have won Hart trophies after missing the NHL playoffs are Al Rollins in 1954, Andy Bathgate in 1959, and Mario Lemieux in 1988.
With concrete evidence that most Hart Trophy winners come from Playoff caliber teams, it’s best to leave stars on slumping squads out of your NHL MVP bet slip.
Regular Season Performance
The Hart Trophy is awarded each year after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. While the excitement of the postseason can often make you forget about the regular season, it’s important to only take the regular season into consideration when placing bets on the Hart Trophy winner.
Players win a separate award, the Conn Smythe, for being the most valuable player in the NHL playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals.
The opinion of NHL players themselves are not be taken into consideration for the Hart Trophy, but they do get to vote on the league’s most valuable player through the NHLPA’s Ted Lindsay award.
So, while the playoffs may truly dictate who the best players in the world are as they lead their team to hockey immortality with a Stanley Cup victory, Hart trophies are reserved for regular season performances only.
How to Find the Best Hart Trophy Odds
One of the most important factors for any bettor to look into before placing a MVP futures wager, is where to find the best Hart Trophy odds. Below we’ve featured a few of the ways you can ensure that you’ve scored the best bang for your buck when placing a Hart Trophy bet.
Research Multiple Sportsbooks
First, make sure to find an online sports betting site that works for you. We are the one-stop destination for the best Canadian sportsbooks so you can find a trustworthy and reliable oddsmaker tot take your action to this season.
Check out our reviews on the top online sportsbooks in Canada on-site, find the sports betting app that’s right for you, sign up using our links provided, and star betting on the NHL today.
Track Odds Movement Over Time
Just like any futures betting market, Hart Trophy odds fluctuate over the course of the season. With odds rising and falling depending on the latest play of the leagues top teams and players, it’s important to find advantageous times to strike when it comes to futures betting.
If there’s a player that you think has a legitimate shot to win the award, get in on their MVP odds early this NHL season and get the best odds before they skyrocket.
Sometimes favourites hit slumps and their odds suffer as a result. Don’t completely fade top candidates for one rough patch, instead sprinkle some money on their odds and set yourself up for an opportunistic win.
Consider Player Performance and Team Success
With the Hart Trophy being an individual award, taking player performance into consideration is a must. This doesn’t just mean who’s been lighting up the scoreboard, this is also includes players making the biggest positive impact on their team success.
Throughout NHL history, the value of team success cannot be understated. You can score 100 points in a season but if your team stinks, nobody is going to look in your direction when it comes to the Hart. Take Connor McDavid and the 2017-18 Oilers for an example. McDavid was the overall league leader in points, but only finished fifth in MVP voting due to the Oilers crummy record.
When placing a bet on a player to win the Hart Trophy, be sure to take not just their individual play into account, but also the overall team success that they’re having due to their production.
Analyze Historical Trends
As Carl Sagan once said, “You have to know the past, in order to understand the future”. This rings true when it comes to betting on the NHL most valuable player.
Any bettors looking to place a wager on this year’s Hart Trophy odds need to educate themselves on the history of the award, the trends that most Hart trophy winners share, as well as the patterns of voters.
We’ve provided plenty of terrific trends and historical analysis within this page that is sure to assist you in crafting your next winning NHL futures bet when it comes to picking the league MVP.
NHL History: Why is the NHL MVP Trophy Called the Hart Memorial Trophy?
The name of the trophy comes from the man who donated it to the NHL back in 1923. The Hart Trophy was donated to the NHL by Canadian, Dr. David Hart, the father of a former Montreal Canadiens Head Coach and General Manager.
The original trophy was eventually retired and has since been kept at the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1960. Since then, the new MVP award was coined the Hart Memorial Trophy, with the award being given out annually to the player most valuable to his team during the regular season.
Hart Trophy Odds FAQs
Heading into the 2024-25 NHL season, Connor McDavid is favoured to win the Hart Trophy. Having already won the Hart three times in the 2017, 2021, and 2023 seasons, McDavid is rightfully among the top contenders for this years NHL MVP award.
Connor McDavid is favoured to win the Hart Trophy this season along with Nathan Mackinnon, Auston Mathews and Jack Hughes who are also in contention.
Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche was the NHL MVP in 2024. Mackinnon claimed his first Hart Trophy win after a career-best season recording 51 goals and 89 assists for a total of 140 points.
The Hart Trophy winner is picked by a group of esteemed hockey journalists from the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
The Hart Trophy recipient is decided by a group vote with a point system attached.
Each voter ranks their top five candidates with a first place vote-getter earning 10 points, second place gets 7 points, third receives 5, fourth with 3, and finally fifth gets 1 point.
Whoever has the most total points is awarded the Hart Trophy. If there’s a tie whoever had more first place votes takes home the hardware.
Yes, a defenceman has won the Hart Trophy. The NHL MVP has been given out to a defenceman 13-times in NHL history, to some of the games top players such as Bobby Orr, Chris Pronger, and Eddie Shore.
The oldest NHL MVP winner ever is a tie between Montreal Canadiens defenceman, Herb Gardiner in 1927, and Boston Bruins defenceman, Eddie Shore in 1938. At the ripe old age of 35, both players hold the title of oldest league MVP in NHL history.
The Hart Trophy was first awarded in 1924 to Frank Nighbor. Since then the award has been handed out a total of 99 times to 61 different players.
Check out our in-depth reviews on the best online sportsbooks to bet on the NHL MVP. Find the oddsmaker that’s right for you and place a wager on the 2024-25 Hart odds today.
Frank Nighbor of the (original) Ottawa Senators received the first Hart Memorial Trophy in 1924. Nighbor finished the season with 17 points in 20 games played and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947.
