NHL Awards Heat Check—Tightening Races and Wire-to-Wire Locks
With only two weeks remaining in the 2025-26 NHL regular season, the award races are finally starting to produce some late-season drama. While most of the year was defined by runaway favorites, the home stretch has seen the gap narrow in several marquee categories at BetOnline.ag.
The Hart Trophy: MacKinnon vs. The Field
For months, Nathan MacKinnon (-145) looked like a foregone conclusion for MVP. However, Nikita Kucherov (2/1) has been relentless down the stretch, surging into striking distance. While MacKinnon remains the favorite, Kucherov’s scoring pace has made this a legitimate two-horse race. And, as always, you can never truly count out Connor McDavid (6/1); if he puts up a historic final 10 days, those 6/1 odds will look like a massive gift in hindsight.
The Vezina: A Goalie Coin Flip
If you’re looking for the tightest market on the board, look no further than the crease. The Vezina Trophy is currently a dead heat between Ilya Sorokin (-125) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (-110). Sorokin has been the backbone of his squad all year, but Vasilevskiy’s pedigree and late-season “clutch” factor are weighing heavy on the minds of oddsmakers. This is essentially a “pick-em” that will be decided by whoever blinks first in the final week.
Jack Adams: The Bench Boss Battle
The Coach of the Year honors have boiled down to a strategic showdown between Lindy Ruff (-250) and Jon Cooper (+140). Ruff has the narrative advantage, having steered his team through significant turmoil to exceed preseason expectations. Cooper, meanwhile, continues to prove why he’s the gold standard of NHL coaching. At +140, Cooper offers excellent value if his team secures a higher seed in the final days.
The Done Deals: Werenski and MacKinnon
While other races are tightening, the James Norris and Rocket Richard trophies appear to be headed for the engraving shop. Zach Werenski (-700) has been a statistical anomaly on the blue line, effectively ending the conversation for Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes weeks ago. Similarly, Nathan MacKinnon (-500) holds a commanding lead for the Rocket Richard. While Cole Caufield (3/1) has had a career year, MacKinnon’s volume is simply too much to overcome at this stage.
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