Add Cale for Hart-healthy betting diet
Oddsmakers, pundits and fans believe that the Hart Trophy is basically a three-horse race between the last three winners: Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Leon Draisaitl.
McDavid is once again the clear favorite at Caesars to win the NHL’s award for the most valuable player at +300, while Matthews, the reigning MVP fresh off a 60-goal campaign, is right behind him at +400. McDavid’s running mate, Draisaitl, is the only other player in single-digits, at +800.
While it’s very likely that one of those three players will win the award, that doesn’t mean you can’t find betting value on a couple of players a little deeper on the board. When betting futures, if you don’t love one of the favorites, it makes sense to take a couple of live long shots who have the ingredients to cash in.
Here are three players worth considering:
Cale Makar, Avalanche (15/1)
Chris Pronger was the last defenseman to win this award, back in 2000, but if there’s going to be a player to break that streak, it’s Makar.
Four months removed from being named MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs, Makar enters 2022-23 as the +125 favorite to win his second-consecutive Norris Trophy. While that number has no value, backing the 23-year-old to win the Hart does. Makar posted 115 points in 97 games (including playoffs) in 2021-22, making him a legitimate threat to become the first defenseman since Brian Leetch in 1991-92 to crack the 100point plateau.
Jack Eichel, Golden Knights (75/1)
There has been plenty of drama surrounding Eichel over the past 18 months, but he’s finally healthy and happy in Vegas, where he’ll be counted on to produce as a No. 1 center.
Eichel was better than a point-pergame player in his last two healthy seasons in Buffalo, where he had no supporting cast. Surrounded by better players and playing for a team that should be in the playoff mix, Eichel is a good bet to put up some crooked numbers and re-enter the conversation as one of the league’s best players. He’s mispriced at 75/1.
Nikolaj Ehlers, Jets (300/1)
A regular on “most underrated player in the NHL” lists, Ehlers is poised for a star-turn. The 26-year-old Dane missed a chunk of time last season with an injury, but he still managed to post 28 goals and 55 points in 62 games on a team that turned into a bit of a mess due to off-ice drama and inconsistent play.
With the Jets playing for a new coach and slated for a spot on the first line next to 47-goal scorer Kyle Connor and point-per-gamer Mark Scheifele, there’s a chance for Ehlers to make a Jonathan Huberdeau-type leap in 2022-23.
We’ve seen long shots such as Taylor Hall win this award in recent history, so if you’re looking for a lottery ticket, you could do a lot worse than chucking some beer money on Ehlers and hoping he soars to a new level. He checks all the boxes for someone to come from the back of the pack and be in the running for the award.
Michael Leboff analyzes the NHL for Action Network.