With preseason puck kicking off this week, we're oh-so-close to the regular season finally kicking off.
The Hart Trophy odds board is stacked with the usual suspects, so let's see where everyone sits in our MVP odds as of September 30.
Odds to win 2022-23 NHL MVP award
| Player | Odds to win NHL MVP |
|---|---|
| Connor McDavid | +250 |
| Auston Matthews | +400 |
| Leon Draisaitl | +800 |
| Nathan MacKinnon | +1,000 |
| Kirill Kaprizov | +1,200 |
| Cale Makar | +1,500 |
| Igor Shesterkin | +2,000 |
| Nikita Kucherov | +2,000 |
| Kyle Connor | +3,000 |
| Johnny Gaudreau | +3,000 |
| Aleksander Barkov | +3,000 |
| Andrei Vasilevskiy | +3,000 |
| Sidney Crosby | +3,000 |
| Matthew Tkachuk | +3,000 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings on September 30, 2022.
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Favorite to win the NHL MVP award
Connor McDavid (+250)
After months and months of Connor McDavid sitting at the top of the Hart Trophy odds board last season, he finally got overtaken by Auston Matthews. Despite Matthews winning the award this past season, McDavid has won the Hart twice already and is coming off an insane playoff run in which he registered 33 points in 16 games.
Until further notice, it makes no sense why the Oilers' superstar wouldn't be favored to begin the 2022-2023 season.
Auston Matthews (+400)
Auston Matthews had an incredible campaign in 2021-2022, resulting in the first Hart Trophy award of his career. The 24-year-old scored a whopping 60 goals, adding 46 assists as well to surpass the 100-point plateau.
For all we know, Matthews could score more than 60 this season, which wouldn't surprise many. The Leafs' center is also tremendous defensively, and that part of his game will help keep him in a battle with McDavid all year long.
Leon Draisaitl (+800)
It's almost not fair, but the Oilers have two players in the Top 3 of MVP odds. With all the focus on McDavid, you certainly can't forget about Leon Draisaitl, who won the Hart back in 2020 when he led the league in points.
Draisaitl is coming off another incredible season, with 55 goals and 55 assists. Like McDavid, the German center also didn't disappoint in the playoffs, with 32 points in the same 16-game span.
Understanding NHL MVP odds
Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. When the regular season is nearly finished and a consensus has emerged, you might see a player with a minus sign (-) ahead of his odds, like this:
- Connor McDavid -400
The (-) means that McDavid is the odds-on favorite, and a bettor would need to wager $400 to win $100. Other contenders in the MVP race might have plus (+) odds to win.
- Nathan MacKinnon +650
Here, a bettor stood to profit $650 for every $100 wagered.
If American odds aren't your thing, simply use a tool like our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.
NHL Hart Trophy history
A quick look at recent NHL MVPs and the position they played.
| Season | Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | Auston Matthews | Center | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 2020-21 | Connor McDavid | Center | Edmonton Oilers |
| 2019-20 | Leon Draisaitl | Center | Edmonton Oilers |
| 2018-19 | Nikita Kucherov | Right Wing | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2017-18 | Taylor Hall | Left Wing | New Jersey Devils |
| 2016-17 | Connor McDavid | Center | Edmonton Oilers |
| 2015-16 | Patrick Kane | Right Wing | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2014-15 | Carey Price | Goalie | Montreal Canadiens |
| 2013-14 | Sidney Crosby | Center | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2012-13 | Alexander Ovechkin | Right Wing | Washington Capitals |
| 2011-12 | Evgeni Malkin | Center | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2010-11 | Corey Perry | Right Wing | Anaheim Ducks |
| 2009-10 | Henrik Sedin | Center | Vancouver Canucks |
| 2008-09 | Alexander Ovechkin | Right Wing | Washington Capitals |
| 2007-08 | Alexander Ovechkin | Right Wing | Washington Capitals |
| 2006-07 | Sidney Crosby | Center | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2005-06 | Joe Thornton | Center | Boston Bruins/San Jose Sharks |
| 2003-04 | Martin St. Louis | Right Wing | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2002-03 | Peter Forsberg | Center | Colorado Avalanche |
| 2001-02 | Jose Theodore | Goalie | Montreal Canadiens |
| 2000-01 | Joe Sakic | Center | Colorado Avalanche |
| 1999-00 | Chris Pronger | Defenseman | St. Louis Blues |
Hart Trophy Odds FAQs
Edmonton's Connor McDavid has the best odds to win this year's Hart Trophy at +250.
Auston Matthews won the Hart Trophy in 2022 following a 60-goal season.
Wayne Gretzky has won the award nine times, the most in NHL history.
