NHL betting: Can Kirill Kaprizov win the Hart Trophy?

Approaching the quarter mark of the 2024-25 marketing campaign, it is simple sufficient to argue Kirill Kaprizov is at present serving because the league’s Most worthy participant to his membership.

Logging heavy minutes each outing, the famous person ahead is averaging 1.82 factors/recreation — 0.76 greater than his next-most-productive teammate. Having performed one fewer contest, his plus-16 on-ice even power purpose differential is tied with Alex Ovechkin for second within the league, trailing solely Ovi’s teammate Dylan Strome (+19). (Final season’s Hart Trophy winner, Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon, is plus-3 in on-ice EV GD, for comparability.) With out Kaprizov, the Wild may not even sit in a wild-card spot at this stage, by no means thoughts with the second-highest factors tally within the West.

Nevertheless formidable a person presence, MacKinnon advantages from enjoying with Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. The Oilers not too long ago received two of three with out Connor McDavid, thanks largely to the play of Leon Draisaitl (six factors in these two victories). If staying true to the Hart Trophy as outlined as honoring the participant deemed Most worthy to his crew, Kaprizov’s fiercest contenders could be New York’s Artemi Panarin and Tampa’s Nikita Kucherov — two forwards who’ve additionally contributed that a lot further to their membership’s success. With the Minnesota star plausibly within the lead, if The Thrill performs close to 80 video games this yr — he competed in 75 final yr and 67 the earlier season — I like his shot at profitable his first piece of non-public {hardware} since securing the Calder in 2021.

For pure worth, +3000 seems enticing do you have to imagine Connor Hellebuyck has a shot at changing into the fifth goalie to win the Hart, and first since Carey Value in 2015. If the Jets’ No. 1 finally ends up with 45 wins, a very good variety of shutouts (he already has three), and private stats close to the .930 SV% and a pair of.10 GAA mark, he ought to at the least fall into the ultimate dialog. Particularly if Winnipeg finally ends up atop the Central Division. Sure, we now have a protracted approach to go, nevertheless it’ll nonetheless be attention-grabbing to see how Hellebuyck responds towards the visiting Panthers on Tuesday after dropping convincingly in Florida over the weekend. It was solely his second stinker — and loss — of the marketing campaign.

Newest odds as of publication. For up to date odds motion, go to ESPN BET.

Bonus participant totals greatest guess 2024-25: Sam Reinhart regular-season targets OVER 49.5 (-105). No likelihood he flirts with the 50-plus mark once more, proper? Such a giant ask, after final season’s uncharacteristic output of 57 (plus one other 37 assists). Effectively, already discovering the again of the online 13 instances in 18 contests, and scoring persistently, the Florida ahead is on tempo for 59 this yr. If well being is not a difficulty, he’ll have 50 by the top of March.

Enjoyable truth: Reinhart had an an identical complete of 13 targets via his first 18 contests final season.

Featured recreation

Minnesota Wild at St. Louis Blues

8 p.m. ET, Enterprise Heart, St. Louis

Watch live on ESPN+ and Hulu

• Wild (-1.5, +150), -170 cash line

• Blues (+1.5, -180), +145 cash line

• Complete 5.5: (Over -120, Beneath +100)

After beginning the season 1-0-2, the Wild personal a 10-3-1 file, whereas permitting the fewest targets within the league (2.29/recreation). Of these 10 victories — together with a 4-1 highway determination over the Blues on Oct. 15 — Minnesota has didn’t beat its opponent by a minimal of two targets solely as soon as, a decent 2-1 affair towards the visiting Maple Leafs. The Wild are an ideal 6-0 when having fun with a minimal of two days off between video games, as is the case earlier than visiting the Blues on Tuesday, whereas St. Louis is coming off a stretch wherein it confronted three opponents on the highway, spanning Thursday to Sunday. The favourite on this recreation has misplaced solely as soon as in regulation away from residence. The Wild at -1.5 (+150) presents as an affordable quantity.

One intangible to think about in favor of St. Louis: Starter Jordan Binnington has the chance to tie Mike Liut’s file for probably the most wins in Blues historical past. Although there is no nice sense of urgency, there’s one thing to be stated in help of his teammates bringing a little bit further in serving to him tie the file at residence. Only a thought.

Within the participant prop division, I like Matt Boldy complete photographs on purpose OVER 3.5 (+103). Main his membership in averaging 3.59 photographs/recreation, the top-line/power-play winger most frequently comes out firing after registering beneath that mark in his earlier recreation. On Saturday, the 23-year-old fired on internet towards the Stars solely as soon as.

Ryan Hartman complete factors OVER 0.5 (+110) can also be price contemplating. Promoted to the highest six and No. 1 energy play alongside Kaprizov whereas Mats Zuccarello stays sidelined, the versatile ahead shifts into prime place to get scoring once more. After dropping two weeks to damage, Hartman lastly seems again within the swing, logging virtually 19 minutes in his previous two contests. Since becoming a member of the Wild in 2019, the 30-year-old has averaged 0.56 factors/recreation with an emphasis on the targets. His present four-point tally is properly out of character. So, whereas I do not normally love the he is due narrative, on this case, a return to scoring kind appears reasonably imminent. Plus, for what it is price, one in every of his three targets on the yr counted towards the Blues again on Oct. 15.

For St. Louis, ahead Jake Neighbours has been a standout in current play, skating on a prime line and energy play with Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich. Within the behavior of scoring in bunches, the younger ahead potted a purpose in Sunday’s loss to Carolina. Think about going with Neighbours complete factors OVER 0.5 (+115) in help of the winger following that up together with his second in as many video games. Slotted alongside Brayden Schenn forward of Tuesday’s contest, Neighbours stays on the membership’s prime energy play with Robert Thomas (ankle), who’s anticipated again after a multiweek absence.