A brief look back at the last five players to win the NHL's Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player reveals a shortlist of the game of hockey's elite. Same goes for fantasy hockey circles, nab one – or two – of these beasts and watch any fantasy squad flourish. Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl, Nikita Kucherov, the previous five MVPs are thoroughbred studs and all of them will surely be off any fantasy draft boards near the top of the first round. Here's our latest top-10 list, featuring a look into the 10 players currently Vegas favourites to take home the 2025 Hart.

10. Matthew Tkachuk (+3000)

Whenever Tkachuk finally decides to sober up and get back to hockey following his prolonged and well-deserved victory lap, he immediately becomes one of the best wingers in the NHL and most complete fantasy hockey options out there. A lot of the swagger that Paul Maurice's Florida Panthers play with pulses through Tkachuk, and for good reason. He's the prototypical leader on and off the ice, backing up his mouth and aggressive nature with sensational offensive production while also filling out peripheral fantasy categories nicely. With a target now firmly placed squarely on the Cup winners, the Panthers might find it a bit more difficult next season to run through the league as they did in 2023-24 with every single team looking to bring their best each night in the hopes of knocking off the champs. If you're buying that angle, it could mean a dip in fantasy value for Florida's top pieces. However, that shouldn't deter a single fantasy GM out there from taking Tkachuk near the end of the first round or top of the second, his 301 combined points over the past three regular seasons cement him as a top-20 fantasy target.

9. Kirill Kaprizov (+2000)

As one of the best pure shooters and talented goal scorers in the NHL today, Kaprizov most definitely has the offensive game-changing skill that could easily put him in contention for this trophy next season – but Kaprizov can't do it alone. The Minnesota Wild are coming off a poor showing last year, seeing them miss the playoffs for only the third time in the last 11 seasons. One of the biggest reasons for their recent lack of success has been running out a lineup lacking in scoring depth, which, from an MVP standpoint, hurts Kaprizov's overall offensive output and of course, fantasy hockey value. Aside from goals, assists, and shots on net (46, 50, and 277 shots, respectively, last season) Kaprizov doesn't offer a ton of fantasy intrigue, but that's not why you draft him and that's not what makes him a legitimate candidate for this list. Not many in the league today shoot the puck like Kaprizov, making him one of the top goal getters and Hart Trophy threats.

8. David Pastrnak (+2000)

Considering Pasta finished eighth in Hart voting last season, it makes sense he's sitting at this spot heading into the 2024-25 campaign. Much like Kaprizov above, Pastrnak is clearly one of the games most lethal shooters, as the 28-year-old's 148 regular season goals over the past three seasons combined have him firmly entrenched as a perennial Hart vote-getter that's at the crux of everything the Boston Bruins do at the offensive end. Boston is facing a lot of questions heading into the upcoming NHL campaign and its offensive depth and scoring punch is clearly a weakness which translates into a lot of pressure on Pastrnak to put up yet another 40-plus-goal season.

7. Cale Makar (+2000)

The Colorado Avalanche are spoiled to have a three-headed Hart monster in Makar, MacKinnon (higher up the list), and Mikko Rantanen. As for Makar, few players in the game's history have entered the league with the level of success he has. Already, at just 25 years old and with only five seasons in the NHL under his belt, Makar has a Stanley Cup ring, Conn Smythe Trophy, Calder Trophy, Norris Trophy, and four All-Star nods to his name. Seriously impressive stuff from a guy with only 315 games of regular season action. Makar is the best blue-liner in the game and will be the first fantasy rearguard off draft boards come September.

6. Leon Draisaitl (+2000)

The big German might have fizzled out in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and even though he was likely injured to round out the season, Draisaitl is a lock for this list and should be considered a top-five fantasy option in all formats. Remember, this list is based on the current Vegas odds for the award or else Draisaitl would likely be ranked above the player at the four slot, but the fact remains that few players in the NHL have the triple-point level of production that the former third overall draft pick carries. The peripheral categorical coverage from Draisaitl leaves something to be desired, but in terms of his offensive capability and power-play potential, the 28-year-old soon-to-be unrestricted free agent is as good as they come. Considering the upcoming contract status, Draisaitl is a prime candidate for a monster season on tap, he shouldn't be around much past the fifth or sixth draft spot.

5. Nikita Kucherov (+1800)

An offensive wizard. A stick-handling savant. The best hands in the NHL: take your pick of descriptors, Kucherov fits the bill for all of them. Making the game look easier with each passing campaign, Kucherov is seemingly getting better after turning 30 years old. In the mix for basically the entire season just a year ago, Kucherov became only the fifth player in NHL history to record triple digits in assists in one year, joining a pretty solid quartet of legends in Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, Connor McDavid, and of course, Wayne Gretzky. That alone earns him a spot on this list but with Steven Stamkos' future now firmly settled in Nashville, the door is wide open for Kucherov to fully become the main man in Tampa.

4. Jack Hughes (+1000)

Taking absolutely nothing away from Hughes, his elite skating ability, or high-end offensive talent, but the odds on this one seem off. Sure, when he's healthy, Hughes has the game-changing pace and goal-scoring capability to directly impact the outcome of games on a nightly basis, but he's been unable to play a full 82-game schedule in his five seasons in the NHL and that clearly has an impact on his fantasy value and potential to take home one of the biggest awards in the game of hockey. Now, things in New Jersey are really starting to feel like the Devils are once again poised to make some noise in the Metro Division, especially after getting a goalie in Jacob Markstrom and solid blue liners in Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon that should free up some space for Hughes to go off. When he's healthy he's one of the most dangerous pivots in the NHL but the fact remains that Hughes is a risky pick, both in fantasy drafts and as a potential candidate as league MVP.

3. Auston Matthews (+1000)

No one in the NHL shoots the puck like Papi and he is the game's top goal scorer heading into the 2024-25 campaign and there really shouldn't be much debate. Say what you will about the shortcomings of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the franchise's inability to get it done in the postseason, or what the pending year has in store for the Buds and their success, Matthews himself is a lock to be in the mix for the Hart once again. Leading the league in scoring three of the last four years, Matthews' release and elite hockey sense are a dangerous combination that's allowed him to pot 210 goals over 280 regular-season games since 2020.

2. Nathan MacKinnon (+500)

The last two names on our list of upcoming Hart Trophy threats are definitely the best two players and fantasy options in the game. If MacKinnon and McDavid aren't the first two names off fantasy draft boards come the fall, then the GMs in those leagues really need to do some serious soul searching. MacKinnon is worth the price of admission and his 2023-24 production was something to behold: 140 points, 405 shots on net, 48 power-play points, 42 penalty minutes, a plus-35 rating, and nine game-winning goals. These kinds of numbers get you in the Hall-of-fame one day, and the way things are trending, MacKinnon is a lock to be enshrined at 30 Yonge Street in downtown Toronto when he decides to hang them up. Until then, he's a perennial option for this award who will once again be at the top of the league in multiple important categories. 

1. Connor McDavid (+150)

McDavid heads into the 2024-25 NHL campaign as the heavy Hart favourite and he deserves to be. What more can be said about McJesus than what's already been discussed, especially after a playoff performance for the ages just a couple months ago, he's the best player on the planet and when he's on his game, it's not even close. McDavid's already in GOAT conversations and he's an absolute shoo-in selection not only as the favourite for this award, but also as the surefire number one fantasy hockey draft target in all formats. Expect yet another triple-digit point season from McDavid.