4 NHL Players to Watch Out for in 2022
The Hart Memorial Trophy is given out every year to the NHL’s most valuable player of the season. The Hart Memorial Trophy was donated to the NHL in 1923 by David Hart, the father of Cecil Hart, who was a longtime coach with the Montreal Canadiens. The trophy is awarded annually and the winner is voted on by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
The top four players currently in the running to win it are: Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers and Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs. We are going to briefly discuss these players' history and their current odds to win the NHL MVP so take note then head over to one of our US sportsbooks to get your bets in!
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Connor McDavid- Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid might have the potential to be the single best player in NHL history, if Wayne Gretzky played right now against Connor he would get walked on the ice and on the stat boards. McDavid was the first overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and played three seasons for the Erie Otters, his Otters jersey is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Let me put into perspective how good Connor McDavid is. The 2020-2021 NHL season had 56 games, a normal season has 82 games, so 26 games less than normal. In 56 games, McDavid had 105 points, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy last year and in 2017.
Hart Odds: Connor McDavid is currently at a +150 to win MVP, his odds boosted when Nikita Kucherov went on LTIR.
Leon Draisaitl- Edmonton Oilers
It's often weird that two players are ranked so high on the same team, but Leon Draisaitl is a whole different kind of machine, the Oilers may have the number 1 and 2 best players in the NHL. Leon won the Hart Trophy in 2020 and finished 8th in Hart voting in 2021. Before being drafted 3rd overall in 2014, Leon played his junior career split between the Prince Albert Raiders and Kelowna Rockets, he has also represented Germany 42 times internationally. He had 84 points last season behind Connor McDavid.
Hart Odds: Leon Draisaitl is currently sitting at +1000 to win the MVP, he more than likely won’t beat out his teammate.
Nathan MacKinnon- Colorado Avalanche
Nathan MacKinnon is also one of those players who is once in a generation, the difference between him and Connor McDavid is that MacKinnon has way better teammates around him. MacKinnon was drafted first overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and played his juniors in the QMJHL for the Halifax Mooseheads. Mackinnon came in third last year for Hart voting with 313 votes. Before the start of the 2021-2022 season MacKinnon had 560 points in 573 games.
Hart Odds: Nathan MacKinnon is currently at +750 to win the Hart.
Auston Matthews- Toronto Maple Leafs
Auston Matthews is an impressive player, but the Hockey Writers’ are really starting to go cold on him when compared to the previous three players on this list. He is by far the best player on the Maple Leafs, but with the Leafs constant failure in the playoffs, especially given their last playoffs, he’s been sliding down the list. Matthews was selected first overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft after making headlines by going to play in Switzerland with the ZCS Lions as opposed to going into the CHL or playing in college after playing two seasons for the USNTDP. He finished second in voting last season for MVP and scored 41 goals with 25 assists.
Hart Odds: Auston Matthews is currently sitting at +1200 to win the Hart Trophy.
