We’re about one-quarter of the way through the NHL season — which is more than enough time to pick who will win the 2024 NHL Hart Trophy. That’s hockey’s version of the MVP award for those unaware. Keep on reading because we’re offering our expert betting advice on the award race!
2024 NHL Hart Trophy Odds
Let’s start with the current NHL Hart Trophy odds. As it stands, the best NHL betting sites have earmarked these players as the favorites to earn the award at year’s end:
| Player |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connor McDavid | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Jack Hughes | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| David Pastrnak | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Auston Matthews | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Elias Petterson | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Artemi Panarin | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
We HAVE to mention that these odds will be in flux. Oddsmakers are constantly updating odds to reflect the latest events — a hot or cold performance by a player, injury, and more. What you see above are the betting lines as they are in late November.
No one should be surprised McDavid is still the betting frontrunner for the Hart Trophy. He’s the reigning champion and has come to own this award since he broke into the league under 10 years ago. McDavid has won this honor a whopping three times already. The crazy part? He’s only 26 years old.
McDavid is chasing history. Only nine players have ever won this award at least three times like McDavid. Of those, only three won at least a fourth time. That list includes all-time greats like Wayne Gretzky (nine wins), Gordon Howe (six), and Eddie Shore (four). McDavid could do something really special if he wins No. 4 this year, or even in the near future. Will he though? Let’s move into our predictions next.
Best Bets To Win 2024 NHL Hart Trophy
Here’s some overarching advice on betting the 2024 NHL Trophy winner: make more than one bet. Going “all in” on one player and one player only isn’t a wise thing to do — especially this early in the season when anything can still happen. The worst-case scenario is your single bet becomes injured and now you’re screwed. Let’s practice basic risk management and make two picks for this award. If we were you, we’d prioritize these players:
Connor McDavid
This one’s obvious, isn’t it? McDavid is a generational player, as evidenced by his past trophies. But here’s why we LOVE betting McDavid right now: there’s actual betting value. You see, before the season started, McDavid had -105 odds or so at winning the award. Now? He’s plus-money.
Of course, there are legit reasons why McDavid’s line has lengthened. One is he’s off to a slow start — by his lofty standards that is. In 15 games, he has six goals and 15 points. This is well below his standard. Over his career, in 15-game stretches, McDavid McDavid is averaging eight goals and 22 points.
A second reason why McDavid’s line has collapsed is Edmonton is flat-out awful. Get this, they are 5-12-1. With a meager 11 points, they are third-last in the Western Conference at the moment — wildly undershooting their expectations. If this continues, it’s hard to argue McDavid as an MVP no matter how many points he puts up. How can you be most valuable to a team this bad?
Make no mistake about it, this is a risky bet given the current circumstances. However, our bet is fueled by faith in McDavid and Edmonton to turn this thing around for the rest of the season. The talent is certainly there. McDavid is McDavid but this Edmonton team is mostly the same roster that’s made two straight second rounds in the playoffs.
Regardless, you NEED a complimentary bet to McDavid in case things continue to go south for Edmonton. We believe this next player checks that box and more.
Jack Hughes
Many believe Hughes has McDavid-like potential. The 22-year-old burst onto the scene last year with 43 goals (eighth in the NHL) and 99 points (12th). Expectations were high for Hughes in 2023 and so far, he’s delivered. He’s up to six goals and 16 assists despite only playing 12 games due to injury. If he keeps this pace and doesn’t get injured, Hughes will have a strong case for the Hart Trophy.
The thing Hughes has going for him that McDavid might not is the team success. We fully expect New Jersey to remain Stanley Cup hopefuls. If so, that’s only going to aid Hughes with voters.
How To Bet On NHL Award Futures?
You can bet on all the NHL awards — Calder Trophy, Norris Trophy, Vezina Trophy, and more — at one of the underneath bookmakers. All these sites will offer all the NHL odds you’ll ever need this season — at good prices too. This goes for futures bets like this one, but also "regular" betting on games (e.g. moneylines or over/under on goals).
You can read our latest sportsbook reviews if you need help deciding which site is “best.” Spoiler alert: they’re all pretty darn good. Once you pick a bookie, look into their lucrative sign-up bonuses. NHL betting could be had for free with these deals so don’t miss out!
