We’re slightly last the mid-point of the 2023-24 NHL regular season. This is the perfect time to revisit futures bets on NHL awards. Keep reading to get our picks for several of the top awards!
Hart Trophy Award
We have ourselves a two-man battle for the Hart Trophy, the NHL’s version of the MVP award. There’s a huge gap between these two players, as seen in the below odds available at the NHL’s best betting sites:
| Player |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connor McDavid | +260 | +260 | +260 |
| Nathan MacKinnon | +260 | +260 | +260 |
| Nikita Kucherov | +300 | +300 | +300 |
| David Pastrnak | +700 | +700 | +700 |
| Auston Matthews | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
No surprise to anyone, but McDavid is doing McDavid things again. The two-time Hart Trophy winner started the season slow. However, since Edmonton changed coaches, he’s been re-born and shot up the betting odds leaderboard. McDavid has tallied 44 points in 23 games and has earned 67 percent of the actual goals. If he keeps this pace, it’ll be hard for any player to match that type of output.
McDavid’s Hart Trophy chances also hinge on how the Oilers hold up. They’re on an eight-game winning streak right now and finally find themselves with a winning record. For now, they’re a bubble playoff team but if Edmonton fails to qualify, it would be tough to argue McDavid for MVP when his team flames out.
Personally, we feel MacKinnon is the better bet right now. The Avs, who currently have the third-most points in the Western Conference, are less of a worry. This team will be in Stanley Cup contention, no doubt about it. MacKinnon will be a part of that, which boosts his Hart Trophy potential. In 40 games this year, MacKinnon has 65 points. Better yet, he’s been on the ice for 57 percent of Colorado’s actual goals. He’s a difference-maker and he’s getting our money here.
Vezina Trophy Betting Pick
Similarly, the Vezina Trophy is largely a two-player competition. Lets take a gander at the current Vezina Trophy odds:
| Player | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connor Hellebuyck | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Thatcher Demko | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Jeremy Swayman | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| Cam Talbot | +700 | +700 | +700 |
| Igor Shesterkin | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
Out of the two favored netminders, we side with the Jets’ Hellebuyck. For one, his numbers speak for themselves with a .919 save percentage. Even better, he hasn’t allowed more than three goals in one game in over two months. It’s because of Hellebuyck that Winnipeg finds themselves atop the Western Conference at 58 points. That’s been a big surprise to the whole league, which is a good narrative Hellebuyck can attach himself too.
That’s not to say we’re not impressed with Markstrom though. His .910 save percentage is right up there with Hellebuyck. However, the Flames aren’t a good team at all and currently find themselves out of the playoff picture. So Markstrom has the same problems as McDavid, and probably worse so. Worse because his defense has been pretty bad. While he’s held up well for now, we have our doubts that’ll remain for 40 more games.
Our confidence level is quite high for Hellebuyck in this spot. If you’re feeling risky, you may want to up the amount you bet on this one. Hellebuyck is great, the Jets are too, and that’s usually a winning combo for these types of awards.
Calder Trophy Betting Pick
For a change, the Calder Trophy bet has one runaway candidate: the No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard. Unlike our previous bets, he’s actually minus odds here. Check it out:
| Player | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connor Bedard | -180 | -180 | -180 |
| Luke Hughes | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Brock Faber | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Adam Fantilli | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Marco Rossi | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
Bedard was called a generational talent — one of the best to ever enter the NHL. We'll stop short of saying he’s lived up to the hype (we won’t know for many years), but he’s certainly shown flashes of why everyone was so high on him. He’s up to 15 goals and 33 points in 39 games of his rookie year. It’s not easy being made a No. 1 center right off the bat, but Bedard is holding up.
That’s not to say Bedard doesn’t have some critics. Many critics point to Bedard’s -0.6 rating — not exactly good. But c’mon, this Chicago team is horrendous, as evidenced by its 26 points this season. Bedard doesn’t have much talent around him (injuries have depleted the roster even more) to help boost that number. And it’s this lack of supporting cast that strengthens Bedard’s award case: he is the Blackhawk’s ONLY threat.
All this is to say Bedard is a worthy bet. In fact, we’d urge you to jump on this line sooner rather than later before it gets even more lopsided. Preserve some betting value by taking it now.
How To Bet On 2024 NHL Trophy Bets
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