NHL Awards Odds: Update and Expert Betting Picks
As most teams approach the halfway point of the 2023-24 NHL season, now is a good time to check back into all the futures bets we placed at the beginning of the campaign.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the NHL awards, the Hart Memorial Trophy is given to the league’s MVP. The Vezina Trophy is awarded to the league’s best goaltender, the James Norris Memorial Trophy is awarded to the league’s best defenseman, on an all-around scale. The Calder Trophy is given to the league’s most proficient rookie, the Rocket Richard Trophy is given to the league’s leading goal scorer, and the Jack Adams Award is given to the league’s coach of the year.
Doc’s Sports offers NHL expert picks for every game on our hockey predictions page.
Last season the Awards were given to the following:
Hart Trophy- Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Vezina Trophy- Linus Ullmark (Boston Bruins)
Norris Trophy- Erik Karlsson (San Jose Sharks)
Calder Trophy- Matty Beniers (Seattle Kraken)
Rocket Richard Trophy- Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Adams Award- Jim Montgomery (Boston Bruins)
Now let’s take a look at who has the best odds of taking the respective trophies home this season:
Hart Trophy
Top Five Odds:
- Nathan MacKinnon +220
- Connor McDavid +240
- Nikita Kucherov +310
- David Pastrnak +850
- Auston Matthews +1200
After the Oilers resurgence, it is no surprise to see McJesus himself back in the mix for taking home another Hart Trophy. McDavid ranks 8th overall with 56 points and is 13 points behind the league leader, Nikita Kucherov. He does rank third in the NHL with 40 assists, but he will need to improve on his goals scored in order to solidify himself as the top guy. Nathan MacKinnon looks to continue to lead the pack for the award as he ranks 2nd in the league with 67 points and leads the league with 45 assists. MacKinnon has also notched 38 points since the beginning of December. Kucherov and David Pastrnak also deserve a look as they have both had Hart worthy seasons, but MacKinnon has the slight edge with all the guys around him.
My Pick: Nathan MacKinnon +220
Vezina Trophy
Top Five Odds:
- Connor Hellebuyck +200
- Thatcher Demko +340
- Jeremy Swayman +600
- Cam Talbot +750
- Adin Hill +1100
In my mind, this race has already been won. Unless Connor Hellebuyck has a complete collapse in the second half of the season, he has done enough to separate himself from the rest of the pack. He is third in the NHL in GA/G, allowing just 2.20 a game, and the two guys ranked ahead of him have combined to make two less start than he has on the year (Adin Hill, 15 and Martin Jones, 13). Hellebuyck ranks 5th with a .923 SV% and has appeared in 73.2% of Winnipeg’s games. Thatcher Demko’s performance has allowed the Canucks to sustain an incredible run this season, while Jeremy Swayman has usurped Linus Ullmark as best goalie in Boston, but neither of their numbers compare to Hellebuyck’s.
My Pick: Connor Hellebuyck +200
Norris Trophy
Top Five Odds:
- Quinn Hughes +100
- Cale Makar +185
- Evan Bouchard +1100
- Noah Dobson +1100
- Miro Heiskanen +2500
Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar will be a good race to see which wins the award for the league’s top blueliner. Cale Makar was a wagon in November when he tallied 25 points (4 G, 21 A) in 14 games and is on another torrid start to this month as he has notched seven points in five games. He trails Hughes by three points in the league standings, as the bluelines rank 11th and 12th, respectively. Hughes is a part of the league’s best offense and has a lot of support around him, which will continue to let him generate some points. He has 12 points in his last 10 games and has been consistently productive all season. As long as the Canucks keep rolling, I like Hughes to dethrone Makar.
My Pick: Quinn Hughes +100
Calder Trophy
Top Two Odds:
- Connor Bedard -182
- The Field +142
Not much is needed for this one. Connor Bedard has been incredible this season and is by far the most impactful first year player. He leads the Blackhawks in points (33), goals (15), and assists (18). He is going to miss the next 6-8 weeks with a broken jaw. Therefore, if Brock Faber or Luke Hughes wanted to make a run, now is their chance. Faber has 20 points for the Wild, leading all other Wild blueliners and his 18 assists ranks third on the team. Hughes’ 23 points (7 G, 16 A) ranks 4th on the Devils.
My Pick: Connor Bedard -182
Rocket Richard Trophy
Top Five Odds:
- Auston Matthews -220
- David Pastrnak +550
- Nikita Kucherov +750
- Sam Reinhart +900
- Leon Draisaitl +2500
Matthews has a three-goal lead over second place C Sam Reinhart and has played in three less games. Auston Matthews has won this award twice already in his career and is looking increasingly likely to take home his third. Kucherov and Pastrnak, similar to their spots in the Hart race, just won’t have enough to get to Matthews as the Toronto Maple Leafs rank 4th in the league with 3.56 GF/G. If you like value though, Reinhart at +900 is a great look as he is still on Matthews’ heels.
My Pick: Auston Matthews -220
Adams Award
Top Five Odds:
- Rick Tocchet (VAN) +155
- Rick Bowness (WIN) +400
- Peter Laviolette (NYR) +800
- John Tortorella (PHI) +900
- Paul Maurice (FL) +1500
Last season will repeat itself as the Adams Award winner and Vezina winner will hail the same logo. Bowness was a great coach in Dallas, but both sides needed a fresh start and Bowness has excelled as the Jets’ coach. Winnipeg is currently the best team in the NHL, and I believe they are more likely to maintain their dominance than the Canucks. Rick Tocchet is going to be the leader for a while longer, but I like Bowness to take the award home.
My Pick: Rick Bowness +400
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