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Poll: Who Will Win The Metropolitan Division In 2018-19?

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We’re less than a month away from the 2018-19 NHL season, and players are hitting the ice with teammates to start forming chemistry. All over the league there are individual workouts underway, with rookie tournaments kicking off to showcase the young players in the organization. The excitement for the upcoming season is starting to bubble up to the surface, and even the smallest NHL news has fans in a frenzy.

Recently, Bovada released their over/under numbers for each team’s point totals and there are some interesting results. Though these aren’t to be taken exactly as predictions for the upcoming season—since betting odds also take into account popularity trends and other factors—fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning should still be extremely satisfied to see their club at the very top with an over/under of 107.5 points. The Lightning are expected to be Stanley Cup contenders once again in 2018-19, and have brought back nearly their entire roster.

We ran a poll asking the PHR community to decide who will win the Atlantic Division, and the Lightning came out on top with nearly 37% of the vote. The Toronto Maple Leafs finished in second place, but the big surprise was the Detroit Red Wings in third with 15% of all voters. While our readers have more confidence in the Red Wings than the odds makers, we’ve seen stranger things in the past.

Next we asked the PHR community to vote on the Pacific Division, and while things were a little more evenly distributed the San Jose Sharks were still the clear favorite. With more than 26% of the vote, the Sharks came out ahead of the Los Angeles Kings (16%), Vegas Golden Knights (14%) and Calgary Flames (13%). The Arizona Coyotes and Vancouver Canucks haven’t done enough to inspire much confidence, earning just a handful of votes each.

The Metropolitan Division might be the most difficult to predict, but perhaps the most important given that it has taken home the last three Stanley Cups. The Pittsburgh Penguins are the only team with an over/under above 100 at 103.5, but the Philadelphia Flyers (98.5), Washington Capitals (98.5) and Columbus Blue Jackets (97.5) are all right in the mix. It might be tough for the other teams to jump all the way to the top, but there is real talent still in Carolina and both New York teams. The New Jersey Devils, despite making the playoffs last year, have just a 91.5 over/under and find themselves right on the bubble of the postseason predictions.

Who do you think will come out on top of the Metropolitan Division? Can Washington keep the motor running and ride their Stanley Cup high all the way to another division title? Will the Penguins reassert themselves as a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference? Can Philadelphia stay healthy enough to challenge for the crown? Cast your vote below and explain how you think the season will play out in the comments!

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Drew Stafford Will Attend New Jersey Devils Camp

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The New Jersey Devils have signed Drew Stafford to a professional tryout, bringing him into camp once again. Stafford played last season for the Devils but found himself without a contract this summer after becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Stafford, 32, was once an extremely effective offensive player for the Buffalo Sabres, scoring 31 goals in the 2010-11 season in just 62 games. Though that offensive has dried up in the last two seasons, he still offered 15 points in 59 games while playing extremely limited minutes in New Jersey. Averaging fewer than 12 minutes of even strength time per game, he posted even possession statistics and could be a potential option as a fourth line player or extra forward again this season. The Devils did lose their trade deadline acquisitions when Michael Grabner and Patrick Maroon decided to sign elsewhere, leaving at least a possibility that a veteran like Stafford could be needed.

Still, that would likely mean that no young prospects step up for the Devils and force their way onto the roster, something that many New Jersey fans are hoping for. While the Devils are already led by a young group including Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Pavel Zacha, other prospects like Michael McLeod and John Quenneville are expected to push for full-time jobs and add even more youth and skill to the lineup. Stafford earning a contract would be a decision in the opposite direction, though his professional work ethic and experience is nothing to overlook.

Metropolitan Notes: Columbus’ Defense, Maatta, Butcher, Kreider

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With losses of both Jack Johnson and Ian Cole this offseason, the Columbus Blue Jackets will have some changes on their defense. Those changes could alter the entire defense, as head coach John Tortorella said recently in a Q&A with The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (subscription required). In fact, Tortorella said he will have to consider whether he’s ready to break up his two star defensemen in Seth Jones and Zach Werenski. At the moment, he’s not ready to do so.

“It certainly makes me think about it, and I have thought about it this summer,” Tortorella said. “I’m going to let it play out. Right now I’m going into the season with ‘Z’ and Jonesy together, and we’ll see what comes of that second pair.”

Jones had a breakout season a year ago, while Werenski had an off year, but dealt with a shoulder injury that hampered him all season. However, Tortorella hopes that others will fill in for the team’s offseason losses, including Markus Nutivaara and Ryan Murray.

“I think (Markus) Nutivaara has improved tremendously,” Tortorella said. “I think (Murray) looked different to me in the playoffs. He can’t even grow a beard yet, he’s just got this stuff all over his face, but he looked different to me. He had more of a game face than I’ve seen since I coached him. He was really good in the playoffs. Can he take those minutes? I know he wants to. I know he’s pissed at me that I don’t give him enough time at certain times, but hopefully, he stays healthy and plays with an attitude.”

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins look to be breaking up their top-four as well as the team promised to give top minutes to free-agent signee Jack Johnson, which will force the team to make some changes, according to Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s Jason Mackey in a Penguins’ chat. While the team has no intention of breaking up their top defensive pair of Brian Dumoulin and Kris Letang. That means the likely second line will be Johnson and Justin Schultz, which will likely force Olli Maatta out of the top four. Maatta, who tied a career-high in 29 points last season, will likely be moved to the third pairing next to Jamie Oleksiak.
  • The Athletic’s Ryan Clark’s (subscription required) writes a Q&A interview with New Jersey Devils defenseman Will Butcher, the second-year defenseman has said he’s spent his offseason working on his shot. “My huge emphasis this summer has been on my shot from one-timers to just getting it off quicker,” Butcher said. “Just try to shoot the puck more. Look to shoot the puck more than pass.” The 23-year-old posted impressive numbers in his first year in the league, putting up five goals and 39 points last season. An impressive shot could improve his goal numbers in the future.
  •  When New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider returned from a two-month break when he was recovering from a blood clot, the 27-year-old had lost 15 pounds, which actually proved helpful to him, according to The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman (subscription required). In fact, Kreider played some of his best hockey upon his return, which could fit in well around head coach David Quinn’s new system. The scribe writes that Kreider found the perfect balance between his size, speed, strength and skill, which could carry over to this season, especially now that he’s out of Alain Vigneault’s system that focused only on his speed.

NHL Rookie Tournaments Set For Early September

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8/31: The Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders have joined to fray, as their rookie camps will clash in prospects game on September 12th at the Isles’ practice facility, the teams announced. This leaves only the Florida Panthers without a competition for their rookies in the coming weeks.

8/24: Before team training camps open up for veterans, the rookies get some work in each year with various rookie tournaments and exhibition games taking place around the continent. This is where you can catch your favorite team:

  • The most well-known preseason rookie tournament is obviously the Traverse City NHL Prospect Tournament. The annual tournament hosted by the Detroit Red Wings is in its 20th year of existence. The format consists of two four-team “divisions” who play a round-robin tournament with the winner of each group earning a berth in the championship game. Featured this year are the Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues. The games run from September 7th to September 11th.
  • Buffalo is again set to host the Sabres’ Prospect Challenge Tournament. Running from September 7th to 10th, it is a single group round robin tournament with the Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, and Pittsburgh Penguins joining the Sabres on their home ice. This will be the first game action for top overall pick and preseason Calder Trophy favorite Rasmus Dahlin.
  • Across the border, the three eastern Canadian teams are set to square off in Laval, Quebec, the home of the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket. The Habs announced a set of three games featuring themselves, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Ottawa Senators on September 7th, 8th, and 9th.
  • On the other side of the country, a previous rookie tournament has been split in half. The NHL Young Stars Tournament, held in Penticton, British Columbia, will now contain only the Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks, as well as a pair of collegiate teams in a three-day series of games from September 7th to 9th. The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames chose not to participate this year and will instead face-off in one singular game in Red Deer, Alberta on September 12th.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights are set to host the first of a revolving tournament among U.S.-based Western Conference teams. Nicknamed the Vegas Rookie Faceoff, Sin City will be the location of this year’s tournament which also features the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks. It will be a three-day, nine-game series taking place on September 8th, 9th, and 11th. The tournament is expected to head to Anaheim next year.
  • Finally, the NHL’s southeastern squads will square off in Estero, Florida at the home of the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. The Prospect Showcase will be four days of games between the Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning, and defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals, taking place from September 8th to 11th.

For all updates on rookie tournament rosters, check in with Roster Resource and their running tracker of roster announcements.

Martin Brodeur Hired By New Jersey Devils

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As expected, the New Jersey Devils have brought home one of their franchise icons. Martin Brodeur, after parting ways with the St. Louis Blues yesterday, has been hired on as the Executive VP of Business Development in New Jersey. Brodeur was expected to take on a role in the business side instead of staying in hockey operations, and this will certainly qualify. According to the release, his duties will include working with all departments to “identify, capitalize and develop on business opportunities for the Devils, Prudential Center and the outlying community.”

Brodeur, now 46, is arguably the most iconic player in Devils history. Playing over 1,200 regular season games in net for the franchise before heading to St. Louis for a seven-game stint at the end of his career, the Hall of Fame goaltender is arguably the greatest of all time. With three Stanley Cups, four Vezina trophies, five Jennings trophies, a Calder trophy and two Olympic gold medals there is nothing Brodeur failed to accomplish in his playing career. He stands alone at the top of the all-time wins leaderboard with 691—140 ahead of Patrick Roy in second place—and even scored three goals in his career.

He’ll now take on a new task after working as an Assistant General Manager in St. Louis, and learn the business side of the game. This can only help him in his development to become a General Manager or President of a hockey club if that’s what he eventually wants, and few would stand in his way.

Metropolitan Notes: Reirden, Atkinson, Elias, Kravtsov

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The Washington Capitals have that unusual circumstance where they are coming off winning the Stanley Cup, but are also breaking in a new coach. With Barry Trotz headed to New York, the team replaced him with long-time assistant coach Todd Reirden. NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti writes that the new head coach intends to make some changes to a team that returns everyone with the exception of fourth-line center Jay Beagle and backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer.

“In particular, I would say from the 63 to 65-game range on we really adjusted a few things that helped us defend better and set us up for better success defensively and our numbers followed, especially in the playoffs,” Reirden said. “So those things for the most part 5-on-5 will stay. … There will be some adjustments a little bit in some areas. Special teams in particular in the penalty kill area would be something that we’ll be making some adjustments to.”

Reirden, known as a players’ coach when he was an assistant, says that he believes that connecting with players is critical of being a coach and said he doesn’t intend to change now that he’s finally got his chance to be a head coach.

“I would say that everyone has to be a player’s coach in some respects today to be able to maximize the players,” Reirden said. “I think some of the success I’ve been able to have in the development of players over the last eight, nine years has been off of being able to relate to different players and put them in a situation where they’re in a challenging environment.”

  • Columbus Blue Jackets’ forward Cam Atkinson expects a more impressive season out of himself this year after struggling through multiple issues early in the season last year, according to the Columbus Dispatch’s George Richards. The 29-year-old forward started slow after signing a seven-year, $41.13MM extension last season and then suffering through a broken bone in his foot. However, the veteran looks at his success after his return that suggests he will have a big year for the Blue Jackets this year. Atkinson, who started the first 32 games with just six goals and 13 points, went on a tear after that, finishing the season (65 games total) with 24 goals and 46 points, meaning he tallied 18 goals in the second half. “There’s no doubt in my mind that is the Cam we’re going to see,” said assistant general manager Bill Zito. “He’s such a talented player. He has the skills, the temerity to get out of a rut. He has a lot of weapons — he has a great shot, can skate, has a great hockey sense and likes to score. He likes it and is confident enough to know he can score.”
  • Former New Jersey Devils forward Patrik Elias, who tallied 1,025 points throughout his NHL career, will be starting a new venture as he intends to get into coaching, according to Elite Prospects’ Uffe Bodin. Elias has become the assistant coach for the Czech Republic’s U20 national team alongside head coach Vaclav Varada. “(Varada) approached me about three or four months ago”, Patrik Elias says, although he admits he was never interested in coaching. “Since I have the personal relationship with him and I know that he has done a really good job last two, three years as a coach, I felt that if I wanted to start up with someone, it’s good to start with someone that you trust and that can help you out. He’s been great.”
  • The New York Rangers’ Vitali Kravtsov was named the best forward at the 2018 U20 Four Nations Tournament with a goal and three assists in three games. The 18-year-old was the ninth overall pick by the Rangers in this year’s draft and is expected to return to his KHL team, Traktor Chelyabinsk, as he signed a one-year deal there. The hope is Kravtsov will be ready to compete for a spot on the Rangers roster next season. Minnesota Wild’s Simon Johansson was named top defenseman, while Detroit Red Wings’ Jesper Eliasson was named top goaltender.

 

Metropolitan Notes: Letang, Hayes, Kinkaid

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The Pittsburgh Penguins still need to get the most out of their top defenseman Kris Letang if they intend to compete for their third Stanley Cup in four years. However, while Letang posted solid numbers, his presence as the team’s No. 1 blueliner has been left in doubt as the veteran has crossed over the age of 30 and after years of suffering multiple injuries. While in the past coach Mike Sullivan has made it clear that Letang plays better when he plays more minutes, the team more recently has stated that the 31-year-old would be better off taking less minutes with the team.

Letang, who averaged 26:57 in playing time two years ago, has seen his numbers drop slightly over the last two years. He still averaged 25:20 last season and that number may decrease again this year. In a mailbag series, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that his numbers are likely to be decreased in two different ways this year, although he does admit that the team is only guessing that his play will improve with less minutes. However, Letang will likely lose some playing time during even-strength play, but the veteran will likely be relieved of his penalty killing skills this season as he very likely could be replaced on that special teams unit by newly acquired free agent Jack Johnson. Mackey adds that if they need to cut his minutes even more, the team may allow Justin Schultz to replace him during some power play shifts as well.

  • When New York Rangers center Kevin Hayes signed only a one-year pact this offseason rather than a long-term deal, many felt that the Rangers might be forced to trade their 26-year-old. However, NHL.com’s Dan Rosen writes that Hayes has made it clear that he would prefer to stay with the Rangers for his entire career. “At the moment, [a one-year contract] was best for both sides,” Hayes said Friday. “We couldn’t really come to a long-term agreement and a one-year deal is what came out of it. I’m not treating it like I’ll be out of there in February or at the end of the year. Everyone keeps saying UFA at the end of the year, but that had nothing to do with the decision.” Hayes, who posted a career-high 25 goals last year, could put up even better numbers in new head coach David Quinn’s high-tempo offense which he believes fits his skills perfectly.
  • Abbey Mastracco of northjersey.com writes the New Jersey Devils will be counting on backup Keith Kinkaid more than ever this year as the team remains in the dark about the status of starter Cory Schneider while he recovers from hip surgery this offseason. With the veteran unlikely to be ready to start the season, Kinkaid must prove to the organization that he can handle everyday duties. He showed quite a bit of promise last year when he was asked to take over for Schneider and posted a career-high in games played (41) and wins (26). However more importantly, Kinkaid’s numbers improved over the course of the year. While he posted a .913 save percentage over the course of the season, he put up a .922 save percentage and 19 wins after the all-star break. “You always want to start off hot,” Kinkaid said. “I might not have had the prettiest numbers at the beginning of the season but that’s all that matters is wins, no matter how you do it. I just want to help my team every game.”

Snapshots: Kings, Parent, Galchenyuk

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The Los Angeles Kings struggled to create offense from anywhere but Anze Kopitar’s line in the first half of last season, mostly because of the absence of Jeff Carter as the team’s second line center. Carter played just 27 games for the Kings, but registered 13 goals and 22 points showing that even in his mid-thirties he’s still a very effective offensive player.

This time around they’re hoping for better results, and look healthier coming into training camp. Curtis Zupke of the Los Angeles Times reports that Carter, Dustin Brown, Trevor Lewis and Jake Muzzin are all expected to be ready for training camp in a few weeks, despite dealing with some injuries this summer. If the Kings can squeeze out some of Ilya Kovalchuk’s previous performance and put a healthy Carter over the boards every few shifts, the team could have a much improved offense this season.

  • The New Jersey Devils have hired Ryan Parent as an assistant coach for their AHL affiliate, bringing in the NHL veteran to join Mark Dennehy’s staff. Parent is a veteran of more than 100 NHL contests, and even suited up for 27 playoff contests with the Philadelphia Flyers between 2008-2010. Once a first-round pick by the Nashville Predators, he’ll be able to provide valuable insight to Devils prospects as they come through the system as well as helping to develop the defensemen already in Binghamton.
  • The Arizona Coyotes will have a glut of options for the center position this season, as several newcomers have experience at the position. One of those players, Alex Galchenyuk, wants to prove to his doubters that he can handle the position and according to a conversation with Dave Vest of NHL.com, will be given that chance by head coach Rick Tocchet. Galchenyuk was drafted as a potential first line center by the Montreal Canadiens, but struggled to find much consistency at the position during his time there. After being swapped for Max Domi earlier this offseason, both he and the Coyotes have expressed a desire to see him return to the middle if possible. If he can handle the move back to the middle, the Coyotes find themselves deep at the position with Derek Stepan, Christian Dvorak and Brad Richardson already on the roster and Dylan Strome expected to compete for a full-time role this season.

Ty Smith Signs Entry-Level Contract With New Jersey Devils

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The New Jersey Devils have signed their top draft pick, inking Ty Smith to a three-year entry-level contract. Smith was the 17th-overall pick in June’s draft, and is expected to continue his CHL career with the Spokane Chiefs this season. If he fails to play in more than nine games with the Devils, his entry-level deal would slide forward at least a year.

That nine game mark seemed unattainable when Smith was drafted, but after impressing everyone at the Devils’ development camp earlier this summer there is a chance he could begin the year in New Jersey. Few players from his place in the first round jump right to the NHL, but is already a fairly polished offensive defenseman capable of moving the puck with incredible quickness and accuracy. It’s clear that the Devils are trying to build a defense corps with those skills, after adding players like Will Butcher and Sami Vatanen over the last year.

It remains unlikely that Smith will be a full-time option for the Devils this year, but that won’t be the case very long. He believes he will find great success in the NHL and there is little reason to doubt him at this point. For now, a return to Spokane and a key role with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship in December should help him take the next step in his development.

Poll: Early Hart Trophy Favorite?

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It may be the slowest stretch of the off-season, but the odds-makers at Bovada are staying busy. As Sports Illustrated’s Michael Blinn writes, the first odds for the NHL’s MVP Award, the Hart Trophy, for the 2018-19 season are out. Very few could have predicted that the New Jersey Devils’ Taylor Hall would have taken home the title this past season at this point last year. Is next year’s winner even on the board? Or will it be one of the heavy favorites?

To no surprise, Edmonton Oilers phenom Connor McDavid has the best odds to win the Hart for the second time in three years after being crowned in 2017. McDavid has 10/3 odds to win the award and those are actually pretty fair odds. Even last season, when McDavid was not even a finalist for the Hart, he nevertheless was the league’s leading scorer with 108 points, six more than the next-best player. It was the second season in a row that McDavid won the scoring title and that trend seems unlikely to change if he remains healthy. However, there are some who will say that McDavid’s Hart chances are tied to the success of the Oilers. The argument this past season was that he could not truly be the most valuable player in the league when his contributions still left Edmonton far from a playoff spot. With a roster that has been largely unimproved this off-season, another regular season disappointment for the Oilers could make it hard for McDavid to get back on top.

Next up is two-time Hart winner Sidney Crosby at 13/5. The face of the Pittsburgh Penguins dynasty has long been considered the best player on the planet. Yet, one would think that Crosby might actually have more than two MVP titles. Crosby has scored between 84 and 120 points in every healthy season of his career, but his impressive supporting cast detracts from the impact of those unbelievable numbers. Especially last season, when Crosby was narrowly outscored by both Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel, it would have been close to impossible for him to win the Hart. Malkin (18/1 odds) and Kessel (75/1 odds) are still Penguins and barring injuries to one or both, Crosby would have to take his game to an even higher level to get back into Hart consideration.

Maple Leafs centers John Tavares and Auston Matthews both have 10/1 odds to win the Hart, as the odds-makers clearly expect there to be plenty of offense to go around in Toronto next season. Injuries held Matthews to 63 points last season, outside the top 50 in scoring, while a healthy Tavares only managed to tie for sixteenth with 84 points for the New York Islanders. Both players will greatly need to improve their production to be Hart – and it is certainly possible now that they are playing together – yet an improvement by both could land them in Crosby/Malkin territory where they cancel each other out in the Hart race.

Reigning Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe, and Maurice Richard winner Alex Ovechkin also has 10/1 odds to take home the Hart. Ovechkin has done it three times before, more than any other active player in the league. However, Ovechkin’s 49 goals last year only came with 38 assists, as his 87 points kept him outside the top ten in scoring. At 33 years old this season, the Washington Capitals captain will have to fight both the aging process and a potential Cup hangover to improve his production if he wants a fourth Hart. Ovechkin’s 10/1 odds seem like a stretch.

At 15/1 are both the 2018 winner Hall and finalist Nathan MacKinnon, as well as Nikita Kucherov and Mark Scheifele. This is where the value lies in these early odds. The former duo greatly benefited from both excellent seasons – 97 points for MacKinnon and 93 points for Hall – but also being far and away the best players on the New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche respectively. Both should again lead the way for their clubs and if they match their previous output and again sneak into the postseason, it would be no surprise to see them both back in consideration next year. As for Kucherov, he was the favorite to win the Hart for a long stretch last season as he led the league in scoring. Although his production tailed off as the season closed out, the dynamic Tampa Bay Lightning winger still managed to finish third with 100 points. Tampa will be top contenders again and promise to light up the score board with Kucherov leading the way. Perhaps this time he can seal the deal on the Hart. Scheifele is a dark horse candidate who could be the breakout star of the coming season like Hall and MacKinnon last year. The Winnipeg Jets franchise center played in only 60 games last year, but scored 60 points and continues to show flashes of brilliance. He could be a savvy pick to take home the hardware.

Among the rest of the field are some very interesting options. Los Angeles Kings star Anze Kopitar, a Hart finalist last season, has 18/1 odds and new weapon to play with in Ilya Kovalchuk (50/1 odds). Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux has 25/1 odds despite finishing second only to McDavid at the top of the scoring charts last season with 102 points. Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand, also 25/1 odds, was arguably the most dangerous scorer in the league last season when on the ice, finishing 13th overall in scoring with 85 points in just 68 games – the only player in the top 50 to play in less than 70 games. Bargain odds belong to Artemi Panarin at 50/1. The Columbus Blue Jackets dynamo gets better each year since coming over to the NHL and could toy with 100 points in his second year with the team. That would make for an interesting off-season, as Panarin is slated for free agency next summer.

What do you think? Does Bovada have the right names at the top? Or will the Hart winner be another unpredictable upset like Hall?

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