My Way Too Early Favourite Hart Trophy Value Bets Are...

Yes, I know the hockey season just ended, and it's way too early to start thinking about my award picks for the 2025-26 NHL season. However, while I was scrolling on my betting app the other day, I noticed that odds were posted for certain awards, and while looking at the Hart Trophy odds, two names immediately caught my eye... Nikita Kucherov and Auston Matthews.

These two players have both won the award before, and I think heading into next season, the two of them each have a great chance of winning the award for the second time in their careers.

Let's start with what is probably the more realistic option, Nikita Kucherov at +600. In my opinion, that is the best value currently on the board. The Tampa Bay Lightning should be strong once again this season, and Kucherov has been nothing short of dominant in recent years, as he has won the Art Ross Trophy the past two seasons for leading the league in points. This past season, he had 121 points, and in the 2023-24 season, he recorded 144 points, including dishing out a ridiculous 100 assists. For those reasons, Kucherov is already a great bet, but here's the angle that makes this even more interesting... Next season is an Olympic year.

Most of the NHL's top players will be representing their countries at the 2026 Winter Olympics. But Kucherov? He won't be. We are all aware of Russia's current ban from Olympic competition. That means while his peers are playing high-intensity hockey overseas, Kucherov will be resting up right before the playoff push begins.

In a season where he will likely get more time to rest and recover compared to other stars across the league, this could be a massive advantage for the Tampa Bay star. Kucherov will come out of the Olympic break refreshed, likely surging down the stretch when MVP ballots are top of mind. If the Lightning finish near the top of the league standings, and Kucherov continues putting up numbers like he has been, I think he has a very real shot at taking home the Hart Trophy for the second time in his career.

Now let’s talk long shot. Even though I’m a die-hard Montreal Canadiens fan, I have to admit Auston Matthews at +1900 is a steal. With Mitch Marner now a Vegas Golden Knight, the Leafs are going to rely on Matthews more than ever.

He might not hit 60 or 70 goals again, but if he scores in the 50 range and the Leafs manage to finish first or second in the division, his MVP case becomes very strong. It's not like he hasn't done it before—Matthews won the Hart Trophy in 2022. If Toronto manages to stay comfortably in a playoff spot throughout most of the year, it's going to be because of Matthews carrying the load. That alone makes him worthy of a sprinkle as a long-shot bet.

So if you're throwing down an early MVP future, I think Kucherov at +600 is the smart, calculated play—and Matthews at +1900 is the fun, high-upside bet worth a sprinkle.

Video Below: