This has been one of the most competitive NHL seasons in recent memory. With less than a week to go in the regular season, only two of the four division titles have been claimed, and there is still a lot to be determined with the rest of the playoff spots.
That competitiveness is also captured in this year’s players awards market. Typically, there are decided frontrunners in every category, but that’s not the case in 2025-26. The futures landscape is littered with contenders looking to validate their position as the best player in their respective categories.
Let’s run through the latest betting data from BetMGM and see which players have the inside track in the most prominent players awards.
Hart Trophy – League MVP
While any player can win the Hart Trophy, the lost of true contenders is never more than a dozen or so names. With less than a week left in the regular season, four people still have some varying degree of chance to claim it.
Nathan MacKinnon (-105)
Colorado Avalanche captain Nathan MacKinnon is the current favorite to win the MVP. There is a ton of betting momentum behind him, but we can’t take for granted that the Hart Trophy is his to lose.
Installed as a -105 favorite, MacKinnon is commanding a whopping 30.8% of the handle despite being written on just 18.2% of the tickets. Still, there are several compelling arguments to be made that he’s not the best player in the league.
Nikita Kucherov (+110)
At the halfway point of the season, Nikita Kucherov was seemingly left out of the Hart Trophy conversation. But with nearly 100 of his 128 points coming over the last 50 games, Kucherov could be the dark horse candidate worth backing.
Scoring has always been Kucherov’s forte, but he’s got the analytics profile to back it up. Among all of the Hart Trophy candidates, Kucherov has the best profile of any player. His 57.1% expected goals-for rating is tops among those players, illustrating his elite play in both ends of the ice.
If he finishes strong and his Tampa Bay Lightning surge to the top of the Atlantic, there may be no denying Kucherov this year’s award.
Connor McDavid (+1500)
He may not earn the distinction this year, but Connor McDavid is still widely regarded as the best player in the NHL. The Edmonton Oilers phenom has retaken the lead as the top scorer, and he could usurp the three players ahead of him in the betting market.
McDavid has vaulted himself to the top of the scoring leaderboard, outpacing Kucherov by five points and MacKinnon by seven. Moreover, he’s done so without the help of Leon Draisaitl or Zach Hyman to close out the campaign.
Analytically, McDavid has the highest expected goals-for tally of any Hart Trophy contender. If he maintains that over the final few games of the season, we could see his betting odds soar.
Macklin Celebrini (+1000)
Macklin Celebrini may be priced ahead of Connor McDavid, but his chances of claiming the Hart Trophy pale in comparison. He deserves credit for leading the San Jose Sharks back to relevance, but he’s still not at the same level as the players ahead of him in this year’s class.
Celebrini ranks lowest among the four contenders, albeit still with an impressive 108 points. Granted, he doesn’t have the same supporting cast around him, but Celebrini also doesn’t have the same game-changing ability. Ranking 380th in the NHL (min. 500 minutes played) in expected goals-for percentage, there are still holes in his game.
Celebrini is getting the recognition he deserves, but he’s not the frontrunner the betting market wants him to be.
James Norris – Best Defenseman
There may eventually be a day where this is renamed the Niklas Lindstrom award, but for the time being, the James Norris Trophy is handed out to the best defenseman. With just a handful of games left, it will likely be handed to one of two players.
Zach Werenski (-550)
The betting market has taken a form stance on Zach Werenski as the Norris favorite. The Columbus Blue Jackets’ rearguard has commanded a hefty 25.6% of the handle, precipitating a massive swing in his betting odds.
Werenski had a breakout campaign in 2024-25, recording a career-high 82 points in 81 games. The 28-year-old has ratcheted his production even higher this season. In 72 games played, Werenski has accumulated 22 goals and 80 points, leaving his just shy of last season’s benchmarks. With a few games left to go, it won’t be long before Werenski eclipses those precious marks.
Evan Bouchard (+400)
The only player who could potentially catch Werenski as the best defenseman is Evan Bouchard. The Oilers’ blue liner has quietly asserted himself as the best offensive defenseman in the league, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the betting market swings on him late.
Not only is Bouchard the top-scoring defenseman in the NHL, he’s one of the most productive among any position player. His 91 points are the 11th-best in the NHL, and he has an outside shot of reaching the century mark before the end of the season.
Further, Bouchard’s analytics profile is superior to Werenski. The Oilers’ d-man outpaces his Blue Jackets counterpart in Corsi rating, expected goals-for, expected goals-for percentage, and on-ice goals.
The only advantage Bouchard doesn’t have is in the betting market. Don’t be surprised if these odds shift before the end of the season.
Vezina Trophy – Best Goalie
We’re wrapping up our analysis with a review of the Vezina Trophy market. This award goes to the best goalie in the NHL, and there’s still no consensus on who that may be.
Andrei Vasilevskiy (-250)
Based on betting price alone, Andrei Vasilevskiy is the man to beat. The Lightning goaltender has been a stalwart all season, and is featured near the top of every statistical category.
Most importantly, Vasilevskiy is tied for the league lead in wins, accounting for 37 of his team’s 48 victories. That’s complemented by his second-ranked goals against average (2.32) and fourth-ranked save percentage (91.2%).
In terms of overall production, no one can match Vasilevskiy’s metrics. Still, there is another netminder that bettors should be paying close attention to.
Ilya Sorokin (+200)
It wasn’t too long ago that Ilya Sorokin was priced as the chalky favorite to claim this year’s award. He may have fallen down the futures board, but we’re still believers.
At his best, no one can hang with Sorokin. The Islanders’ goalie leads the league with seven shutouts, contributing to his 2.66 goals against average and 90.8% save percentage. Additionally, he has seen a dramatic increase in his goals saved above average, going from 11.7 in 61 games last season to 17.9 in 53 this year.
Hurting Sorokin’s chances, he’s been on a slide to close out the campaign. But if he’s got a few more magical starts up his sleeve and propels the Islanders into the postseason, we could see him encroach on Vasilevskiy’s territory before it gets too late.
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