In most sports, the best player on the best team is generally the favorite to win the MVP. Patrick Mahomes is the favorite in the NFL right now, Jayson Tatum has been the NBA favorite all season, and Aaron Judge was the AL MVP in 2022.
That is not the case this year in the NHL. The Bruins have the best record in hockey at 32-4-4 – yet their best player, David Pastrnak, is in a distant second to win the Hart Trophy according to BetOnline.ag. Here’s their top five:
Hart Trophy Odds to Win
Connor McDavid -325
David Pastrnak +1200
Jason Robertson +1400
Nikita Kucherov +1600
Tage Thompson +2000
A little over a month ago, when Pastrnak wasn’t even a top-five candidate, I wrote about how despite the slight, it actually speaks to the quality of the Bruins as a whole:
On one hand, this shows that Boston truly plays as a unit and that no one man means more than the other on their team. However, on the other hand, it does feel a bit disrespectful to have David Pastrnak all the way down this list when he’s top-5 in points, goals, and shots on the best team in the NHL.
Even a guy like Hampus Lindholm who, despite not being a force on offense, leads the NHL in +/- and is nowhere close to the top of the Norris Trophy odds according to BetOnline. He holds just 20/1 odds to win it.
Boston is now the outright favorite to win the Stanley Cup at +550, and they’ve done it thanks to everyone.
It’s now time for Pastrnak to get his due. The 26-year-old is second to only McDavid in the NHL in goals (32), third in points (58), and first in shots (203). He’s carried the Bruins offense and is clearly their top player. He’s deserving of MVP votes.
What blows my mind is the fact that despite being second for the award, his odds are still very long at +1200. I understand that Connor McDavid is otherworldly, but Pastrnak is right there in terms of stats, and Edmonton is just 21-17-3… Boston has 68 points.
These 12/1 odds feel like value if the Bruins continue on this track. Pasta MVP +1200 is a great bet to make.
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