NHL MVP ODDS: Nikita Kucherov Closes In On Nathan MacKinnon in NHL MVP Race
NHL MVP ODDS: Nikita Kucherov Closes In On Nathan MacKinnon in NHL MVP Race
We've started to see some significant movement in the NHL MVP outright betting market since the All-Star Weekend.
Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche cooled off during their road trip, dropping his odds for the 2024 Hart Trophy down to +140 from -135 a week ago. Nikita Kucherov's MVP bid continues to gain steam, rising to +220 from +280, despite Tampa Bay getting routed by Florida over the weekend. Auston Matthews has made the biggest jump in the top-five odds, going from +1300 to +700 following his back-to-back hat trick outings against Philadelphia and Anaheim.
NHL handicapper Matt MacKay is back to give his latest analysis on how to approach betting on the 2024 Hart Trophy winner as the playoff push begins for most teams during the final two months of the regular season.
NHL MVP ODDS
Click here for the latest NHL MVP odds
| Player | Odds | Trending | Implied Chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan MacKinnon | +140 | Down | 41.67% |
| Nikita Kucherov | +220 | Up | 31.25% |
| Connor McDavid | +310 | Up | 24.39% |
| Auston Matthews | +700 | Up | 12.5% |
| David Pastrnak | +2000 | Down | 4.76% |
NHL MVP ODDS BREAKDOWN
Matthews deserves the most praise for his latest production on the ice following the All-Star Weekend. Toronto is riding a three-game winning streak following a 1-2 start after the extended break, but their super star, Matthews, has totaled eight points, including six goals, in his last two games against the Flyers and Ducks. If the Maple Leafs can continue to play their way into contention, Matthews will see his MVP odds skyrocket. Investing at +700 is still a good decision despite missing out on +1300 a week ago, since Matthews is Toronto's primary goal scorer on a high-octane offense.
Kucherov was held to one assist during a 9-2 rout at home against Florida in his last game played. The Lightning are streaky, but Kucherov dominates possessions when he's skating, scoring three goals and two assists in three games since the previous edition of this NHL MVP article was published. Tampa Bay's volatility may be cause for concern when it comes to Kucherov winning his second Hart Trophy, but he's still worth a small investment at this price.
We've touched on Nathan MacKinnon's slide, which is a byproduct of being held down on the ice during Colorado's largely fruitless road trip on the East Coast. The Avalanche are now second in the Central and third in the Western Conference, but MacKinnon did score the equalizer against Arizona to keep Colorado in the win column in a must-win game on Sunday. +140 is much better than the -135 we were getting for a few weeks, but it may continue to slide to more profitable prices depending on how the Avs and MacKinnon look against stiffer competition in their next few games. Taking action at plus odds after waiting weeks is fine, but so is waiting for a bigger slide into +200 or longer.
Connor McDavid and David Pastrnak are the other two players who have found themselves in the mix for the 2024 Hart Trophy in most recent editions. This trend continues, but Pastrnak has fallen well below where he was a week ago, thanks to Boston riding a four-game losing slump. Pastrnak has only scored once in the past five games and it came in a 4-1 home loss to Seattle. Meanwhile, McDavid has led Edmonton to a 7-3 record in its last 10 games, including 10 assists in his last three matchups played. He's been making some incredible plays to find open skaters on offense, unselfishly making the right read to wind up with a scoring possession. +310 is a marginal move from +430 a week ago, so getting in on this number before it moves any higher is a good decision.
Matthew Tkachuk is currently +10000 on FanDuel Sportsbook and is my favorite longshot to sprinkle on at this number. Florida is red-hot and Tkachuk has recorded four goals and nine assists in his last five games, including four multi-point outings.
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.