MacKinnon or Draisaitl? Predicting Who Prevails in Tight Art Ross Trophy Race

The NHL Awards have for the most part been handed out for sometime with odds heavily favouring someone for several months now. For example, there's not much debate around the Vezina trophy as Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck has been leaps and bounds above anyone else or around the Jack Adams award with Spencer Carbery leading the Capitals to one of their best season's in franchise history.

The tightest race left that has some remaining value in it is not surprisingly the Art Ross trophy for the league's top point producer. A trio of candidates has emerged with Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon, Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl and Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov.

More NHL:Maple Leafs Present Best Betting Value in Tight Divisional Race with Panthers, Bolts

The three are all averaging just over a point and a half per game on average with MacKinnon leading the pack with 102 points after playing one more game than Draisaitl with 67 on the season.

MacKinnon is UNSTOPPABLE 😱undefined

Kucherov has played six less games than MacKinnon and has resulted in him being ten points back in the race but a lot can change with 15 games left in the season knowing Kucherov's history of explosive hot streaks.

It's hard to say who will prevail as MacKinnon and Draisaitl have the same 1.52 point per game average. MacKinnon is listed at -145 as the current leader with Draisaitl close behind at +120 odds.

Both players will play hungry bubble teams contending for a playoff spot like the Blues and Utah Hockey Club but they will get their fair share of softball matchups against bottom ten defences like the Sharks, Blackhawks, Habs, Red Wings and Blue Jackets. Each team is also heading into a lengthy homestand before ending off the season with a series of road games.

More NHL:Utah Hockey Club Appears Likely Dark Horse to Make Stanley Cup Playoffs
Futures

Leon Draisaitl From His Office 🤩#NHL #Hockey #shorts #NHLshorts #NHLhighlights #Oilers #EdmontonOilers

The Oilers could be looked at as having the edge as they'll play the Jets twice, who Draisaitl has dominated in the past with 43 points in 34 matchups, as well as the Golden Knights once, who he has also taken advantage of for 30 points in 25 matchups.

Draisaitl will also get three games to put up as many points as he can against the league's worst defence in the Sharks plus two games against the Seattle Kraken, who are tied with the Sabres for the second-worst goals against average in the NHL over their last nine games.

The German winger looks like a great value as he's been gaining ground since the start of the new year with 43 points since January 4th compared to MacKinnon's 38 through 28 games each. We can look to capitalize before it's too late and get the value before Draisaitl has big night and takes the lead.

Topics

2025 Stanley Cup odds, NHL Awards picks: Expert hockey futures bets, updated betting trends for Hart Trophy

SportsLine handicapper Jimmie Kaylor shares his Stanley Cup futures picks and best bets for the Hart Trophy, James Norris Trophy, and Calder Trophy following the NHL trade deadline
CBS Sports - 1d
Chelsea overcome City and ‘substandard’ pitch to deliver first trophy of Bompastor era

Chelsea’s first trophy under Sonia Bompastor should have been won on a pitch better than this.
Yahoo Sports - 1d
Vedder Cup at stake when Padres face Mariners as part of Pearl Jam singer's charity drive

The winner of the annual series between the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners will now win the Vedder Cup, a trophy designed by Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder. This award is part of a ...
Yahoo Sports - 2d
'Lifting the trophy in your suit was certainly an odd one'

A decade ago the final round of the Six Nations produced one of the most dramatic days in the competition's long history with Ireland ultimately left celebrating.
Yahoo Sports - 2d
'Eddie, will you hurry up and win a trophy!'

The last captain to win a cup for Newcastle, Bobby Moncur, says it has been "far too long" since the Magpies claimed silverware and wants someone to "take this role over". Bruno Guimaraes has the ...
Yahoo Sports - 1d
Fifty-six years of pain: I have had enough of waiting for Newcastle to win a trophy

Wallace Wilson lets out a sigh when he remembers he was just 15 years old when Newcastle United last won a major trophy with the unexpected Fairs’ Cup success of 1969.
Yahoo Sports - 1d
The big idea: should we abolish art?

Down with expensive trophies at art fairs: it’s time to reclaim a more radical vision of creativity. Some of us will go to an art gallery this weekend. Maybe it will help us reflect or inspire us. ...
The Guardian - 6d
Ross Noble: ‘The weirdest place I have been recognised? During my vasectomy’

The British comedian on being shot into space by Jeff Bezos, his nightmarish run-in with a fan and the thing he loves most about Australia. Read more 10 Chaotic Questions Get our weekend ...
The Guardian - 22h
India edge out New Zealand to win Champions Trophy

India win the Champions Trophy for a record third time after a four-wicket victory over New Zealand in Dubai.
BBC News - Mar. 9