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NHL MVP Odds: Has Nathan MacKinnon Already Locked Up the Hart Trophy?

Nathan MacKinnon is set as the betting favorite to win the Hart Trophy

By Iain MacMillan

Mar 30, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) skates with the
Mar 30, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) skates with the / Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
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We're in the final stretch of the regular season with just a couple of weeks left before the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Despite teams having fewer than 10 games to play, the race for the Hart Trophy, which is given to the MVP of the NHL, is still relatively close. It's been one of the closest Hart Trophy races in recent memory, and four players are still in contention.

Let's take a look at the latest odds.

NHL Hart Trophy odds

Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche is currently set as the -340 favorite. If you translate those odds to implied probability, MacKinnon has a 77.27% chance of winning that award. That leaves a 22.73% chance that one of the other players can grab it in the final weeks.

Leon Draisaitl (+500), Connor McDavid (+550), and Auston Matthews (+2500) are the other three players who are still in the conversation. As of writing this article, MacKinnon leads the league in points with 127 but McDavid is just two points behind him with 125.

Matthews is largely in the mix due to his goalscoring. He has already notched 60 goals, eight more than the next closest player, but a recent dry spell has virtually ended his chances of becoming the first player since the 1993-94 season to reach 70 goals.

Some might say the Hart Trophy award is narrative driven more than anything else and MacKinnon having yet to win the award could be playing a role in why he's the favorite in this tight race. McDavid, Daisaitl, and Matthews have all won the award, but MacKinnon hasn't despite being a top contender for many years.

That, plus the fact he has a slight edge in the points race, could be enough to win him the award. Still, there are enough games left that you may find value in betting on one of the other options. For example, if Matthews can find a way to notch 10 goals in the Maple Leafs' final nine games, they'll have no choice but to give him the award.

If you want to bet on the NHL, including several award winners, be sure to click the link below to sign up for an account at FanDuel Sportsbook. If you do, you'll receive $200 in bonus bets if you win your first $5 wager.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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