Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
Author: Anthony Vlahovic
Last Updated: 06 June, 2025
Connor McDavid fell one game short of his first Stanley Cup, but he is in hot pursuit of avenging that loss. As the 2024-25 Stanley Cup rolls on, NHL fans are still waiting to see who is awarded the Hart Trophy for the season. While they wait, though, they can already start placing futures on who will win the award in 2025-26.
Down below, bettors and fans can stay up to date on all changes regarding the 2025-26 Hart Trophy. By doing so, they can ensure they are getting the best price available on the market.
Player | Opening Odds | Current best odds |
---|---|---|
Connor McDavid | +200 | +210 (FanDuel) |
Nathan MacKinnon | +500 | +500 (DraftKings*) |
Kirill Kaprizov | +800 | +1200 (FanDuel) |
Nikita Kucherov | +1000 | +1000 (Bet365*) |
Leon Draisaitl | +1000 | +1000 (Bet365*) |
David Pastrnak | +1500 | +3100 (FanDuel) |
Auston Matthews | +1500 | +2000 (FanDuel) |
Jack Hughes | +2500 | +3400 (FanDuel) |
Jack Eichel | +2500 | +3200 (FanDuel) |
Quinn Hughes | +4000 | +4200 (FanDuel) |
Connor Hellebuyck | +4000 | +5000 (Bet365) |
Cale Makar | +4000 | +4000 (DraftKings) |
Mitch Marner | +7500 | +7500 (DraftKings*) |
Mikko Rantanen | +7500 | +7500 (DraftKings*) |
*Odds as of June 6, 2025
* = the same odds are offered by multiple sportsbooks.
Player | DraftKings | ||
---|---|---|---|
Connor McDavid | +200 | +200 | +210 |
Nathan MacKinnon | +500 | +500 | +450 |
Kirill Kaprizov | +800 | +800 | +1200 |
Nikita Kucherov | +1000 | +1000 | +600 |
Leon Draisaitl | +1000 | +1000 | +950 |
David Pastrnak | +1500 | +1400 | +3100 |
Auston Matthews | +1500 | +1400 | +2000 |
Jack Hughes | +2500 | +2500 | +3400 |
Jack Eichel | +2500 | +2500 | +3200 |
Quinn Hughes | +4000 | +4000 | +4200 |
*Odds as of June 6, 2025
Season | Player | Team | Opening odds |
---|---|---|---|
2025-26 | |||
2023-24 | Nathan MacKinnon (C) | Colorado Avalanche | +1000 |
2022-23 | Connor McDavid (C) | Edmonton Oilers | +300 |
2021-22 | Auston Matthews (C) | Toronto Maple Leafs | +900 |
2020-21 | Connor McDavid (C) | Edmonton Oilers | +600 |
2019-20 | Leon Draisaitl (C) | Edmonton Oilers | +4000 |
2018-19 | Nikita Kucherov (RW) | Tampa Bay Lightning | +1500 |
2017-18 | Taylor Hall (LW) | New Jersey Devils | N/A |
2016-17 | Connor McDavid (C) | Edmonton Oilers | +600 |
2015-16 | Patrick Kane (RW) | Chicago Blackhawks | N/A |
2014-15 | Carey Price (G) | Montreal Canadiens | +5000 |
When looking at the past Hart Trophy winners, it's clear that centers are favored for this award. Throughout the history of the MVP title, dating all the way back to the 1923–24 season, centers have walked away with the trophy a total of 56 times. In comparison, wingers have claimed the MVP award 31 times, with RWs winning it on 18 occasions.
It's also worth noting that goalies have won the MVP title just eight times and defencemen only seven times during the award's history.
Can goaltenders win the Hart trophy? Sure, they can. Is it common? No, not at all. In fact, only eight goalies in the history of the NHL have had the honor of being named MVP of the league. Since 2000, only two goalies have been named the MVP, the most recent being Carey Price for the 2014-25 season. Outside of Price, the most recent examples include Jose Theodore in 2002 and Dominik Hasek, who won the award in 1997 and 1998.
Not only does a goalie need to post an unbelievable season to be considered for this award, but they also need a lot to break their way. As far as stats go, a goalie needs to have good enough numbers to win the Vezina trophy, as all three goalies to win the Hart trophy since 1997 have also won the Vezina. In 2014-15, Carey Price led the league in wins (44), save percentage (.993%), and goals saved above average (36.7).
In 2002, Jose Theodore led the league with a 931% save percentage and 45.9 goals saved above average. With Dominik Hasek also winning the award with a save percentage north of .930% and leading the league in goals saved above average, it’s clear that these numbers, along with the Vezina, are the baseline for goalies and the Hart Trophy.
Aside from stats, it’s clear that team context matters. Goalies may have a hard time showing how valuable they are when playing on an all-around dominant team. However, goalies on bubble teams with lackluster defenses may be able to build a better MVP case if they can lead their team to the postseason.