Jack Hughes of NJ Devils and his NHL MVP Award odds

It's only three weeks into the NHL season, but don't tell that to Devils center Jack Hughes.

There's only treats and no tricks from the 2019 No. 1 overall pick as he's off to a scorching start, leading the NHL with 13 assists and 18 points heading into Halloween.

While he was held scoreless for the first time this season in the Devils' 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night, the 22-year-old Hughes had recorded at least one point in the team's first seven games, including six of those being multi-point contests.

Off to such a great start, where does Hughes currently rank among Hart Trophy (regular season MVP) favorites, and should you bet on him now or later? Here's what you need to know:

Jack Hughes MVP odds skyrocket

Heading into the 2023-24 season, DraftKings Sportsbook had Hughes at 18-1 (+1800) odds to win MVP behind notable superstars such as Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon and others.

On the eve of November, Hughes' odds have now shortened drastically due to his hot start. He's 3/1 (+300) and trails only McDavid, a three-time Hart Trophy winner, for the shortest MVP odds as he's currently at +195 to take home the award.

While the consensus is at 3/1 for Hughes, the best available price for the Devils' No. 1 center currently resides on FanDuel Sportsbook where he's 4/1 (+400) to win his first MVP award.

Should you bet on Hughes to win Hart Trophy now or later?

At 4/1 odds, Hughes is worth a flyer to place a wager on to win his first MVP award right now as these odds can always shorten if he continues this pace.

However, I believe there's the possibility Hughes could go through some stretches like he did last season where he went as many as three games multiple times last March without recording a single point.

If he does, I'd jump on Hughes at that junction where he could be as low as 7/1 or maybe even 8/1 odds if he goes through any type of slump.

Regardless of which side you fall on, Hughes is on pace to smash the career-high of 99 points he set last season and will likely remain a top-five Hart Trophy candidate barring an injury that keeps him out long term.

Conclusion: Place a small wager on Hughes now at 4/1 but keep an eye out if his number dips over the coming months.