2025-26 NHL Awards Betting Preview: Odds, Predictions, Best Bets

Hart Memorial Trophy Odds, Prediction, and Betting Pick

The Hart Trophy race quickly developed into a two-player race between the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid this season. It didn’t take long for MacKinnon and McDavid to establish their dominance over the field.

MacKinnon’s Hart Trophy odds have risen over the last month. He’s put a wedge between him and McDavid in the race, though he isn’t in the clear yet. On December 11, MacKinnon was a -190 favorite. Since then, the star center’s price has jumped to -350, or an implied change of 65.5% to 77.8%.

While value isn’t as solid as it was in the past, MacKinnon should probably have higher odds to win the Hart Trophy. Not only is he producing at a lightning pace, but the Avalanche are in a much better position than the Oilers. Currently, the Avalanche are ahead of the rest by a considerable margin.

There's no one like Nathan MacKinnon 🐶 pic.twitter.com/DGQY3PNm59

— NHL (@NHL) December 12, 2025

The Avalanche are first in the league, with a record of 31-4-7 and 69 points. MacKinnon has played a leading role in putting the Avs in this spot. He’s tallied 35 goals and 39 assists for 74 points, earning an insane +48 rating, which leads the league by +11. MacKinnon is also first in goals and fifth in assists.

Everything combined, MacKinnon is the top pick to win the Hart for your NHL awards betting picks.

Jack Adams Trophy Odds, Prediction, and Betting Pick

After Joel Quenneville held the lead in the Jack Adams race for most of the season, Jared Bednar has now taken a comfortable edge. Quenneville had the Anaheim Ducks off to a red-hot start, but they’ve come back down to earth over the last two weeks.

With the Colorado Avalanche scorching the rest of the league, it’s no surprise that Bednar is a +115 favorite. At that price, he has an implied probability of 46.5% to win the Jack Adams Trophy. Bednar’s system has worked to perfection for the Avalanche this season.

Tracking the Jack Adams Award, awarded to the coach to have contributed the most to his team's success, now that we're into the second half of the season… 🏆

Read more about how the writers voted ➡️ https://t.co/ZYxjvudO4Z pic.twitter.com/8SpolezWVu

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) January 5, 2026

Colorado ranks first with 3.95 goals per game and just 2.21 goals against per game. The Avalanche have been at or near the top of the standings since opening night.

At 31-4-7, they own the best record in the NHL. Like Nathan MacKinnon’s Hart Trophy bid, Bednar’s candidacy is boosted by being behind the bench of the league’s top team.

As the one steering the ship, Bednar is well-positioned to be rewarded for this success. Last month, I backed him at +300 to win the Jack Adams. There’s still a solid case for betting Bednar at his current price before the odds shorten even more.

Rocket Richard Trophy Odds, Prediction, and Betting Pick

The Rocket Richard Trophy race for the top goal scorer once again features two familiar names: Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid. Both stars are also firmly in the mix for the Hart Trophy, but here the focus is on the Rocket Richard. At the moment, the odds imply a 62.3% chance that MacKinnon takes home the goal-scoring crown.

There's no one like Nathan MacKinnon 🐶 pic.twitter.com/DGQY3PNm59

— NHL (@NHL) December 12, 2025

McDavid is second on the board at +500 but has ground to make up. MacKinnon, the 30-year-old native of Halifax, has buried 35 goals in 42 games and is on a red-hot pace with no signs of slowing down. As of January 8, he has scored 11 goals in his last 12 games.

He leads the NHL in goals, holding a seven-goal edge over McDavid. After a slow start offensively, McDavid has picked up his pace, but MacKinnon has kept his foot on the gas and shows no intention of relinquishing the lead. While injuries are always a risk, the confidence in MacKinnon right now is well justified.

At -165, there is still value on this Rocket Richard wager as one of the best NHL awards bets on the board.

Vezina Trophy Odds, Prediction, and Betting Pick

Ilya Sorokin has surged up the board and established himself as the early favorite to win the Vezina Trophy. However, no goaltender has truly separated himself so far. Several netminders have had strong stretches, but each has mixed in both great and poor performances.

I backed the Capitals’ Logan Thompson at +550 earlier in the season and have been on him ever since. Even with Sorokin’s rise, I don’t think either of them should be viewed as having a clear edge in the Vezina race right now. That opens the door for value elsewhere on the board.

Thompson has been steady in the crease, posting a 2.40 GAA and a .915 save percentage. He caught fire last year and finished with a 2.49 GAA and a .910 save percentage. A similar season-long trajectory feels realistic this year.

I’m holding onto my Thompson ticket at +550, but it’s hard to overlook Andrei Vasilevskiy at +1000. He’s arguably the most trustworthy of the top contenders and backstops a Lightning team currently riding a hot streak. At +1000, Vasilevskiy offers outstanding value.

VASILEVSKIY MAKES AN INSANE OT SAVE AND THE BOLTS GO DOWN AND WIN IT 🤯⚡️ pic.twitter.com/FrYk28F29X

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) November 21, 2025

Vasilevskiy owns a 2.34 GAA and a .914 save percentage through 26 games. He’s a workhorse and will be leaned on heavily as the season wears on. The 2018-19 Vezina Trophy winner has allowed two or fewer goals in 10 of his last 14 starts. Given his consistency and track record, it’s hard to ignore his Vezina odds at +1000.