NHL Hart Trophy Odds: Connor McDavid Aims for a Fourth MVP

Training camp is right around the corner for the NHL which means the 2023-24 season is almost here.

Let's dive into the Hart Trophy odds on FanDuel Sportsbook for the upcoming campaign.

Here's a look at the top five favorites heading into the new season.

Hart Trophy Odds

Connor McDavid

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +120

Surprise, surprise... not really. It's hard to look anywhere other than Connor McDavid when talking about potential Hart Trophy winners.

The reigning Hart Trophy winner is the best player in hockey and continues to make his case as one of the best in the history of the game. In the 2022-23 season, McDavid captured his third Hart Trophy when he finished with 64 goals, 89 assists, and 153 points over 82 games, leading the league in all three categories while also having 25 more points than second place Leon Draisaitl.

He's unreal -- and there's room for him to keep getting better.

The 153 points were a career-high for the Edmonton Oilers superstar as he draws closer and closer to averaging two points per game in a single season. That's his next milestone in what is already a career full of them.

The +120 odds are a testament to how awesome McDavid is on the ice. There's no disrespect to the rest of the league and the talent they possess; there's just no one in the same atmosphere as the reigning Hart Trophy winner right now, and that's okay. This might be the best odds you'll get him at all season, so if you're feeling like it's truly him then everyone else, this may be your best shot.

A fourth Hart Trophy is somewhere in his future.

Auston Matthews

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +1000

Over the last three seasons, Connor McDavid has won the Hart Trophy twice. The other winner? Auston Matthews. He deserves your respect heading into the season and is rightfully the number two when it comes to the odds for a Hart heading into the year.

There's a conversation to be had that Matthews is the best goal scorer in the game today. When he won the Hart Trophy in the 2021-22 season, he proved that.

Matthews notched 60 goals on the season along with 46 assists to aid him in his MVP chase. The year prior in the shortened 2020-21 season, he also led the league with 41 in just 52 games. His shot is elite but his 2022-23 season certainly left a lot to be desired, finishing with just 40 in more games played than the previous season. In a vacuum, it's not what you'd expect from him.

In the offseason, Matthews signed on the dotted line to extend his stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs, signing to a four-year, $53 million contract. If there's anything that should elevate his play, it's not having to worry about a deal moving forward. They were able to finally win a playoff series this past year, so there's got to be some optimism for more success on the back of Matthews and company.

At +1000 odds, Matthews will need to get back to his 2022 version while also evolving to another level if he wants to get that Hart Trophy and fend off what will likely be another sensational season from McDavid. That's just where the league is right now.

Nathan MacKinnon

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +1100

Nathan MacKinnon has accomplished a lot in his NHL career, but the one thing he hasn't is win the Hart Trophy.

It's hard to believe considering his high level of play for what has been years now, but he's never had the chance to call himself the MVP of the league.

The closest MacKinnon has come to doing so were the 2017-18 and 2019-20 seasons where he finished second in both respects. MacKinnon's best statistical season was actually this past year when he finished with 42 goals, 69 assists, and 111 points in 71 games for the Colorado Avalanche. He did a lot of the heavy lifting offensively in a season where Colorado just wasn't the same team that won the Stanley Cup the year prior.

If they plan on getting back to the mountain top -- as the NHL-best +850 odds would suggest they can -- it will be him leading the way yet again.

He's been in the top five of the Hart Trophy voting in six straight seasons. That not only proves how valuable he's been but also how dominant and consistent he is.

Entering what will be his age-28 season, this could arguably be his prime year, and if that's the case, the +1100 odds could be a steal if he tops last season and leads the Avalanche to a better finish.

David Pastrnak

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +1200

David Pastrnak is going to have to play like an MVP candidate if the Boston Bruins want to compete in the 2023-24 season, making him the most intriguing option to choose from odds-wise.

Pastrnak finished second in the Hart Trophy race in the 2022-23 season after helping lead the Bruins to a record-setting regular season run. Things changed, of course, once they got into the playoffs, but otherwise, Pastrnak looked like one of the top-five players in the sport all of last year.

The sniper finished with 61 goals and 52 assists, good for a career-high 113 points. He also has a fourth-place Hart Trophy finish back in 2019-20, so it shouldn't come as too much of a shock that he was capable of winning the award.

What he's going to have to do in the upcoming season is make up for the lack of help the Bruins will now have down the middle. Both Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retired this past offseason, taking a big hit to the Black and Gold's leadership and aspirations heading into the season. Add in that they didn't bring back Tyler Bertuzzi or Dmitry Orlov to really grasp how tough of an offseason it was for the reigning Presidents' Trophy winner.

Pastrnak is now fully in a leadership role, and if he wants his team to contend, he'll need them to do it on his back. That's what makes his case for the Hart Trophy so tempting.

It could be a season where Pastrnak and company struggle, but with Pasta, Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, and the two netminders still on the roster, anything is possible. The 27-year-old is in his prime and worth a longshot bet -- maybe as much as anyone outside of McDavid.

Matthew Tkachuk

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +1200

From the opening puck drop of the NHL regular season to the moment time ran out in the Stanley Cup Finals, there may have been no better player from start to finish last year than Matthew Tkachuk.

The playoff run that Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers had was one for the history books simply by eliminating the record-breaking Boston Bruins as an eight seed. But, even before the postseason, Tkachuk had himself a career-best in his first year with Florida.

Tkachuk finished third in the Hart Trophy race a year ago after scoring 40 goals, recording a career-high 69 assists, and totaling 109 points. It was nearly a banner year for Tkachuk before he was injured in the Stanley Cup Finals, and the Panthers ultimately fell to the Vegas Golden Knights, but it's a season to build on if you're him.

He will turn 26 years old in the 2023-24 season, showing that he's only just putting it all together. As the youngest player in the top-five odds on this list, another step for the Panthers' franchise player could be exactly what he needs to go from third in the Hart Trophy race to the winner of the league's MVP award.

The Panthers are going to need another great showing out of Tkachuk if they want to get back to the Stanley Cup. He'll certainly do everything he can to get them back there.

Looking for more NHL betting opportunities? Check out all of the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.