2021 Hart Trophy odds: Is this finally the year for MacKinnon?

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The Hart Trophy market has been incredibly rewarding for bettors during the last six seasons, with Sidney Crosby (3-1) being the last to win league MVP at shorter than 10-1 odds back in the 2013-14 season.

Can Connor McDavid or Nathan MacKinnon buck that trend this season, or will another generously priced star rise to the occasion?

Listing players 50-1 or shorter.

Nathan MacKinnon (+600)

Twice a runner-up in Hart voting (2018 and 2020), MacKinnon is primed for a monster season. His 93 points last year were 43 more than the second-most on the Colorado Avalanche, making him the clear catalyst on an NHL powerhouse.

To secure the hardware, he'll have to ensure Colorado lives up lofty expectations, meaning a dominant regular season, a West Division title, and perhaps a Presidents' Trophy. It's all very attainable for what is a truly stacked roster with MacKinnon leading the way.

The 25-year-old brings a fiery intensity to his game and could go scorched earth this year to avenge last season's early playoff exit.

Jack Eichel (+1500)

For a lot of players on this oddsboard, the path to capturing the award is a bit murky. For many, a career year simply won't be enough. But for Eichel, it's relatively straightforward, and that makes him a nice value at this price.

If Eichel can produce at a slightly higher clip than last season and lead the Buffalo Sabres to their first playoff berth since 2010-11, he's going to be at the forefront of the MVP conversation.

He's finally got a running mate on the top line in former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall, so it's well within reason to expect a jump in production from Eichel after he put up 78 points in 68 games last season - a 94-point pace over 82 contests. He turned Jeff Skinner into a 40-goal scorer in 2018-19, so imagine what he can do with Hall.

The roadblock here is the Sabres will play in a very tough East Division - in which there are no weak links - and lack the depth and goaltending to compete with many of the top teams. However, if the Sabres make the playoffs this year, it's going to be on Eichel's back.

Andrei Svechnikov (+9000)

While there's a ton of talent atop the oddsboard, it's hardly far-fetched for an off-the-radar player to swoop in and win the award. Leon Draisaitl (2020), Hall (2018), and Patrick Kane (2016) were all significant longshots to win the Hart Trophy when they claimed the honor.

Svechnikov took a big step forward from his rookie to sophomore season, jumping from 0.24 goals per game and 0.45 points per game to 0.35 and 0.90, respectively. Entering his third NHL campaign, Svechnikov could break out in a big way as a cornerstone of one of the league's most potent lines on a Carolina Hurricanes team poised to make the jump from playoff hopefuls to Cup contenders.

At five-on-five, the Hurricanes had a Corsi for percentage of 56.9 (ninth-best) and expected goals for per 60 minutes of 3.1 (fifth-best) when Svechnikov was on the ice last season. He's a dynamic offensive player primed for another statistical leap in his third season, as he now possesses the confidence to match his ability.

Alex Moretto is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.