Hart Trophy odds are the headline individual market on the NHL board, and the one most shaped by the scoring race. Nikita Kucherov won it in 2026, his second. The award goes to the player judged most valuable to his team, which is not quite the same as the best player, and that gap is where the betting value sits. Our awards hub covers the other four trophies.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Award | Most valuable player |
| Voted by | Professional Hockey Writers Association |
| 2026 winner | Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay) |
| Voting closes | End of the regular season |
| Announced | June |
| Typical winner | A top-five scorer on a playoff team |
Recent Hart Trophy winners
The voting record is the best guide to what the electorate rewards.
| Season | Winner | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Nikita Kucherov | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2024-25 | Connor Hellebuyck | Winnipeg Jets |
| 2023-24 | Nathan MacKinnon | Colorado Avalanche |
| 2022-23 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers |
| 2021-22 | Auston Matthews | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 2020-21 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers |
| 2019-20 | Leon Draisaitl | Edmonton Oilers |
| 2018-19 | Nikita Kucherov | Tampa Bay Lightning |
What the voters reward
Look at that list and a type emerges. Seven of the last eight winners finished in the top five for points, and most played on teams that made the playoffs comfortably. Hellebuyck in 2025 is the exception that proves the rule: a goaltender only wins the Hart when his team would clearly be nowhere without him.
Games played matter more than bettors expect. Voters are reluctant to hand the award to a player who missed a chunk of the season, even at a higher rate of production. If a candidate is trading short while carrying an injury history, that is usually a price to lay rather than back.
The market also overreacts to hot Octobers. Prices posted before opening night tend to cluster around three or four names, and the eventual winner is often available at a longer number in November than in September.
What to watch in 2026-27
Kucherov defends the trophy at 33, and the Tampa Bay core that swept the 2026 awards is intact. The perennial short prices belong to Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, both of whom have won it before. Watch the scoring race rather than the standings until the new year, then start weighing team record. Prices tend to appear alongside the Stanley Cup futures in late September.
Frequently asked questions
They are futures prices on who will win the NHL’s most valuable player award. Sportsbooks post them before the season and adjust through the year as the scoring race develops.
Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, his second Hart after 2019. Teammate Andrei Vasilevskiy won the Vezina in the same season.
The Professional Hockey Writers Association. Ballots are cast at the end of the regular season, so playoff performance has no effect on the result.
Yes, though rarely in the modern game. Connor Hellebuyck won it in 2025 for Winnipeg. Before that a goaltender had not won since Carey Price in 2015.
Pre-season prices are the widest but the least informed. Many bettors wait until the American Thanksgiving mark, when the standings and the scoring race have both settled, at the cost of a shorter price.
19+ (18+ in AB, MB and QC). Odds are approximate at the time of writing and change constantly. Please play responsibly. ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600 for Ontario residents. Helplines for every other province are listed on our gambling awareness page.