We've reached the NHL All-Star break, and some teams have completed as much as 61% of their schedules.

That means there's been more than enough games for the awards markets to take shape.

Let's take a closer look.

Nathan MacKinnon is seen as the favorite to win the Hart Trophy. He's just one point behind Nikita Kucherov for the league lead and ranks first among all players in five-on-five points. He's leading the charge for an Avalanche team that's as reliant as ever on its big guns; there isn't much depth behind them. MacKinnon is getting a ton of media support for the Hart right now. With Kucherov putting up points on a Lightning team on the playoff bubble, he's taken a backseat to MacKinnon - rightly or wrongly.

Whenever you see +450 attached to Connor McDavid's name, it's enticing, but he might have too much ground to make up. He started the season very slowly - like his team - and is nearly 20 points back of the top spot as a result. With the Oilers enjoying so much team success and taking pride in playing a more well-rounded, two-way game, I don't think McDavid will make up enough ground to catch MacKinnon.

David Pastrnak is a somewhat interesting dart throw at +1300. He's near the top of the league in goals and points, and the Bruins have one of the easiest remaining schedules. It's certainly possible he kicks things up another gear and closes the gap, which would garner him a lot of attention, given all the offseason departures in Boston. Someone is going to get real love for the team's success and ability to withstand so much turnover.

I think Connor Bedard is going to win the Calder, but I wouldn't be investing in his chances right now. He's missed quite a bit of time with a jaw injury, and a return is nowhere in sight. There's no sense in buying high on an injured player right now.

The odds for Brock Faber, Luke Hughes, and other top rookies are likely to shorten over the next month or so. They'll be playing, putting up points, and finding their way onto highlights while Bedard sits on his hands. That'll naturally lead to the gap shrinking. If you're concerned the Blackhawks will ease Bedard back into the lineup - or keep him out long term with nothing to play for - then the play would be to invest in another rookie. That's likely Faber, given the attention he's getting for his two-way game.

If you're confident Bedard will get back into the lineup somewhere near his projected return date, the best course of action is likely waiting closer to that point before making a play on Bedard. The price at that point should be better than it is now.

It sure feels like if Quinn Hughes stays healthy, this is his award to lose. He's the captain of a resurgent Canucks team that's put the whole league on notice. He plays a ton of minutes, is as puck-dominant as any player in the NHL, has gaudy point totals, and is plus-31 at five-on-five. The Canucks are steamrolling teams with Hughes on the ice, and he's getting a lot of praise for his work on the defensive side, which has been questioned in the past.

Cale Makar is spectacular, but he doesn't have the five-on-five results Hughes does, nor does he have the narrative train behind him.

Hughes has been a dominant force for a surprise team that was expected to compete for a wild-card spot. Makar has been a dominant force for a team expected to be elite. As a result, Makar's play isn't really a "story."

This is a two-horse race with a heavy lean toward Connor Hellebuyck. Rightfully so, in my opinion.

Hellebuyck owns a .924 save percentage and leads the league in goals saved above expected. He's been the best goalie in the NHL for a team that's extremely reliant on him being just that.

Sure, the Jets play a structured brand of hockey. They don't have superstars contending for awards up front, and they don't have many brand names on the backend. This is a team greater than the sum of its parts, and the play of Hellebuyck is a big reason why.

The Jets just put together one of the longest stretches of allowing three goals or fewer in NHL history. And Hellebuyck is going to get a ton of credit for that.

Unlike Thatcher Demko, Hellebuyck doesn't have players on the roster taking away some of the spotlight. He doesn't have an Elias Pettersson ripping it up at forward. He doesn't have a defenseman favored for the Norris, a la Quinn Hughes. He's doing it with the least amount of perceived help. If his level of play remains consistent, he'll likely be rewarded.

Beyond Demko, I don't think anybody can threaten Hellebuyck - even in the event of injury. Jeremy Swayman splits starts on an elite team, Adin Hill has played in 17 games, Cam Talbot has lost his job while the Kings tumble down the standings, Igor Shesterkin is struggling mightily, and Jacob Markstrom plays behind a non-playoff team selling its best players. Need I go on?

Even at -135, I think there's still some value in backing Hellebuyck.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL All-Star break is finally here and offers teams the opportunity to exhale and take stock of where they are.

Let's do the same and examine each division to see how the betting market is shaping up.

The Bruins keep chugging along. Due to retirement and cap constraints, they had to move on from Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Taylor Hall, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Dmitry Orlov, among others, last summer. Surprisingly, Boston hasn't skipped a beat and remains one of the league's best and most consistent teams. The club's underlying metrics are excellent, David Pastrnak continues to spearhead a strong offense, and Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark give it one of the best goaltending tandems.

But if I'm jumping into the betting market to get involved with an Atlantic Division side at current prices, I'm taking the Panthers. Specifically, I like their Eastern Conference odds (+450) in a wide-open race.

Despite playing the season's first couple months without top defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, Florida is tied for the conference lead in wins and sits first in expected goal share. The sky is the limit now that the Panthers are healthy, and I think there's enough incentive for them to push all their chips into the middle to upgrade.

Sam Reinhart, Gustav Forsling, and Montour are unrestricted free agents at season's end and are all in line for monster raises. Florida won't be able to keep its fantastic core fully intact, so it makes sense to go all in while everyone's around. Only the Jets and Hurricanes - notoriously stingy spenders - have more cap space than the Panthers among playoff teams. Look for Florida to use that financial flexibility come deadline time.

The Hurricanes are just two points behind the Rangers for the top spot in the division and have a game in hand. I love their chances of surpassing New York by season's end.

Carolina has dealt with atrocious goaltending for much of the season and ranks 30th in team save percentage. But there's light at the end of the tunnel. Pyotr Kochetkov has helped stabilize things lately, and he's back healthy again. Frederik Andersen has also resumed on-ice activities and could factor in, which would be a big help.

The Metro shouldn't be an issue if the Hurricanes get anything resembling competent goaltending. They're also a much better five-on-five team than New York in controlling the run of play and scoring. The Rangers actually own a negative goal differential in that game state, and they're not nearly as good as their record indicates.

New York relies heavily on its power play and goaltending to get wins. However, Igor Shesterkin has struggled while the man advantage has dried up over the last 10 games, scoring just five power-play goals. It's no coincidence the Rangers have won only four times (against the Senators, Ducks, Capitals, and Kraken) during that span.

Regarding long shots, the Devils are worth considering to win the East and/or Stanley Cup. They entered the season at +900 to win it all, the third shortest odds. Injuries have primarily led to New Jersey's struggles rather than poor performance.

Jack Hughes has multiple extended stints out of the lineup. Timo Meier missed significant time. Nico Hischier was sidelined. Dougie Hamilton has played just 20 games. The list goes on. When healthy, the Devils are a handful to deal with, and they should be healthy sooner rather than later. Hughes is expected to return shortly after the All-Star break. Meier and Hischier are back in the lineup already. Hamilton is likely to return around playoff time, assuming New Jersey gets there.

The Devils have a chance to do damage if they can get healthy and find an upgrade in goal, something they're rumored to be chasing.

The Oilers are having one of the craziest seasons I can remember. At one point, they were sitting in the basement with the Sharks. Fast-forward a couple of months, and Edmonton's listed as Stanley Cup favorites - understandably so!

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman have led the charge for an unstoppable Oilers offense. The team has also tightened things defensively, while Stuart Skinner has seen his level of play go from among the worst to the best. He has stopped 18.39 goals above expected since Dec. 1, placing him second only to Connor Hellebuyck (18.48).

If Edmonton can rely on quality goaltending from Skinner, there aren't many holes you can poke in this team. I see some value on the Oilers to come out of the West at +325.

The Canucks are an excellent team, and adding Elias Lindholm certainly makes them better, as it addresses the club's need in the middle of the ice and boosts the top power play. I just don't want to get in the way of the Oilers.

The Central Division playoff picture is wide open, and you can make the case for either of the three key contenders. The Avalanche have the most firepower but lack depth and goaltending. Although the Stars are the most well-balanced team, Jake Oettinger's inconsistent play is a concern. Then there's the Jets, who have the least amount of star talent but play a very structured defensive game and have arguably the league's top goaltender. Pick your poison.

I think the best way to get involved is by backing the Avalanche to come out on top in the regular season. They're a notoriously dominant regular-season team and appear to be hitting their stride. Colorado also has the softest remaining schedule of all Central Division clubs.

It'll likely come down to the wire, but +145 for the current leaders, led by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, is a price worth getting involved with.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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