NHL MVP Odds: Nikita Kucherov Jumps Connor McDavid In NHL MVP Race
NHL MVP Odds: Nikita Kucherov Jumps Connor McDavid In NHL MVP Race
The first week of NHL action post-All-Star Break weekend saw a lot of surprising outcomes on the ice, leading to some minor shifts in the Hart Trophy futures market.
Teams have only played a couple of games at most, however, four of the top five players favored to win the 2023-24 NHL MVP award haven't budged a bit off of their numbers from a week ago. Only Tampa Bay winger, Nikita Kucherov, has clawed his way into second at +280, which is still a far cry from Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon, whose team has struggled on their Eastern Conference road trip.
NHL handicapper Matt MacKay is back to provide his insight into how to wager the current 2024 Hart Trophy markets. Let's invest in players who have the most likely chances and best situation to wind up winning NHL MVP by the end of the regular season.
NHL MVP ODDS
Click here for the latest NHL MVP odds
| PLAYER | ODDS | IMPLIED CHANCE | TRENDING |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan MacKinnon | -135 | 57.45% | Neutral |
| Nikita Kucherov | 280 | 26.32% | Up |
| Connor McDavid | 430 | 18.87% | Neutral |
| David Pastrnak | 1200 | 7.69% | Neutral |
| Auston Matthews | 1300 | 7.14% | Neutral |
NHL MVP ODDS BREAKDOWN
Nathan MacKinnon has been held without a point in three consecutive road games following All-Star Weekend. It's surprising to see a player get blanked in three straight matchups remain atop at -135 odds in the Hart Trophy betting markets, but this clearly shows how confident oddsmakers are in MacKinnon's skill set.
Two more games are left on the Avs' road trip, facing Washington and Tampa Bay, but winding up 0-6 will definitely decrease MacKinnon's MVP odds to at least +100 or longer. This outcome could very well happen, due to a sputtering offense and porous goaltending for Colorado, so let's continue to be patient before investing in MacKinnon's MVP odds, as we could avoid paying a price if the losing slump continues this week.
Nikita Kucherov has been nothing but consistent for his team. The Lightning haven't had a great start to the second half of their season either, but Kucherov has already logged four points, including a double-point game against Columbus on Saturday night that resulted in a win for Tampa Bay. Kucherov's usage in the offensive zone remains very appealing, especially if the Lightning continue to occupy a playoff spot, ranking third in the Atlantic Division.
Connor McDavid, David Pastrnak, and Auston Matthews are all elite goal scorers who have seen their teams crumble following All-Star Weekend in Toronto, Canada. Pastrnak hasn't scored in three games, his longest drought of the season, as the Bruins were blanked 3-0 at home against Washington during their last game played on Saturday afternoon.
McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers have also faltered after a miraculous 16-game win streak, going 1-2 straight on the road, losing to Vegas and Los Angeles, while erasing a deficit in the third period against Anaheim. Matthews scored the game's first goal against Ottawa on Saturday, which is a feat he often achieves. However, Toronto went on to lose 5-3 against the Senators, making the Maple Leafs also 1-2 in their last three games played.
In the Hart Trophy, or NHL MVP betting market, it's currently best to risk units on Kucherov and MacKinnon. It's preferable to look at Kucherov at a solid +280 value, especially since he contributes to a scoring play on seemingly every possession he's on the ice. However, overlooking MacKinnon now could be a bad idea. It's good to wait to see how Colorado responds during the final two games of their road trip, but bad goaltending will follow them, forcing MacKinnon to create scoring chances on his own. -135 may look a lot more appealing if MacKinnon gets back to churning out two and three-point outings in upcoming matchups.
If you want to wager a longshot in the Hart Trophy market, look further down the list than McDavid, Pastrnak, and Matthews. Available on FanDuel Sportsbook at +2500, Artemi Panarin is another driving force that sparks scoring opportunities and often delivers for a New York Rangers team that has won four consecutive games to maintain a four-point lead in the Metropolitan Division. Sam Reinhart of the Florida Panthers is another prospect to keep an eye on at +5500, as Reinhart is second in the NHL for goals scored (39) this season, including 22 goals recorded on the Panthers powerplay unit.
NHL ODDS
Matt is an avid writer, editor, and researcher. He enjoys analyzing the game within the game which is fantasy sports and sports betting. Music is another constant in his daily life. Matt loves spending time with his wife and three pets. He likes to read, listen to podcasts, and is constantly motivated to create the most accurate and engaging content in the sports betting industry.