2027 NHL Hart Trophy Betting Odds, Prediction: Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon Lead the Pack
Hockey is officially back, so let the debates begin.
Today’s argument centres on the biggest individual award up for grabs this season, the Hart Trophy.
The NHL’s regular season MVP award has bounced around over the last few years, going from different conferences, divisions and positions.
This year’s top contenders should be no surprise. Four of the top-five Hart Trophy contenders are previous winners, including Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon at the top. However, there is also some new blood on the list, with 20-year-old San Jose Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini boasting the third-shortest odds.
Let’s get into it with our Hart Trophy favourites, prediction and betting trends.
Don’t forget to check out Sports Interaction’s complete list of NHL game odds and NHL futures.
Hart Trophy Favourites
There is a clear gap between the top-three Hart Trophy favourites, with McDavid (+290), MacKinnon (+325) and Celebrini (+450) all priced below +500, while everyone else is priced above +1000.
McDavid has been the clear-cut best player on the planet for a decade, so it’s a little surprising to see he hasn’t won a Hart since 2023. This year lines up well for the three-time Hart winner however, as voter fatigue is starting to wear off and it’s a Cup-or-bus season for the Oilers and their captain, who is averaging just over 125 points/season over the last six years.
If there’s an intense personality to match McDavid, it’s Colorado’s MacKinnon, who is coming off a 127-point campaign with a career-high 53 goals. If the Avalanche can figure out their power play, it should only add the MacKinnon’s point total and his case to win a second career Hart after taking home the award in 2023-24.
Celebrini is the new kid on the block in this race. Recently named San Jose’s captain, Celebrini had a monster second season in the NHL last year, recording 115 points and 45 goals and the stage didn’t prove too big for him at the Olympics. In my mind, this award is Celebrini’s if he can drag the Sharks into the playoffs.
Here’s the top-10 favourites to win the Hart Trophy this season:
- Connor McDavid (+290)
- Nathan MacKinnon (+325)
- Macklin Celebrini (+450)
- Leon Draisaitl (+1050)
- Nikita Kucherov (+1100)
- Kirill Kaprizov (+1450)
- Auston Matthews (+1500)
- David Pastrnak (+1600)
- Jack Hughes (+2400)
- Cale Makar (+2600)
Hart Trophy Prediction
I’m going farther down the list for some value in the Hart Trophy race before the market adjusts. Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar is tremendous value at +2600, partly because it seems like only a matter of time before the soon-to-be 28-year-old adds a Hart Trophy to his already stacked trophy case.
This year also just lines up well for Makar. He’s going to anchor a stacked Colorado team that should once again do serious damage in the league standings and like MacKinnon, Makar’s point totals will only look better if the Avs can fix their power play.
There’s also the elephant in the room. Makar’s new contract extension doesn’t kick in until next season, but when it does, he’ll be the highest paid player in NHL history. Makar won’t wait a year to justify that contract, he’ll have all the motivation in the world to immediately show why he deserves that type of money.
Makar is poised to be the first defenceman to win the Hart Trophy since Chris Pronger in 1999-00.
Hart Trophy Betting Trends
- Longtime coming: As mentioned, a defenceman hasn’t won the Hart Trophy since Chris Pronger with the St. Louis Blues in 1999-00.
- Also rare: Goaltenders have also found it tough to bring home the Hart, with Montreal’s Carey Price (2015) and Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck (2025) the only netminders to win the award in the salary cap era.
- Centre-edge: Centre’s have the edge for this award as they have won six times over the last decade.
- Double-win: No player has won the Hart Trophy and hoisted the Stanley Cup in the same year since Martin St. Louis accomplished the feat with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.
- No repeats: It’s been over 15 years since a player won back-to-back Harts, with Alex Ovechkin taking the award in 2008 and 2009.
Last 10 Hart Trophy Winners
| Season | Hart Trophy Winner | Team | Opening Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Nikita Kucherov | Tampa Bay Lightning | +700 |
| 2024-25 | Connor Hellebuyck | Winnipeg Jets | +15,000 |
| 2023-24 | Nathan MacKinnon | Colorado Avalanche | +1000 |
| 2022-23 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | +300 |
| 2021-22 | Auston Matthews | Toronto Maple Leafs | +900 |
| 2020-21 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | +600 |
| 2019-20 | Leon Draisaitl | Edmonton Oilers | +4000 |
| 2018-19 | Nikita Kucherov | Tampa Bay Lightning | +1500 |
| 2017-18 | Taylor Hall | New Jersey Devils | N/A |
| 2016-17 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | +600 |