Avalanche odds update: Makar, MacKinnon looking to add to their respective trophy cases

There are just 17 games left in this whirlwind of a season for the Colorado Avalanche. This year has been filled with trades and star-studded performances, and has the potential to have some valuable hardware added to it by the end of the season thanks to Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and an Avalanche team that has found its stride.

Hart Memorial Trophy – Nathan MacKinnon (+450)

The reigning winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy (regular season MVP) just scored his 1,000th career point, becoming the 100th player to do so in NHL history. MacKinnon leads the NHL in points (102) and has been a key factor in the Colorado Avalanche finding a new gear late in the season as the team just went 6-0-0 on its last homestand.

MacKinnon has some ground to cover, as Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl is currently the favorite (-195) and Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck is on his tail (+210). Draisaitl has 46 goals, 10 more than the next closest player, and has the Oilers in second place in the Pacific Division.

Hellebuyck has been dominant between the pipes, posting a .926 save percentage and allowing just 2.02 goals a game with 37 wins. All of those numbers lead the league as he is the landslide favorite to win the Vezina Trophy for the league’s best goaltender.

All three players are having phenomenal seasons, making this a fun race to watch down the stretch.

James Norris Memorial Trophy – Cale Makar (-290)

Makar is currently the clear favorite for the Norris Trophy (best defenseman), and is looking to win the award for the second time (2022). Makar currently leads all defensemen in points (75), goals (24) and assists (51). Even in his decorated 2022 season, he didn’t lead the league in all three categories.

It’s a two-man race, as Columbus’ Zach Werenski is still very much in the mix (+200). Werenski is second in the three main scoring categories and is one of the main reasons his team is currently holding onto the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Makar would be the 14th player in NHL history to win the award multiple times if he were to hold on.

Art Ross Trophy – Nathan MacKinnon (-260)

MacKinnon is seeking his first Art Ross Trophy (most points in the league), as he currently has a five-point lead over Draisaitl for most points in the league. MacKinnon would be the second Avalanche player to win the award, as Peter Forsberg won in 2003 when he recorded 106 points. MacKinnon already has 102 with 17 games to go.

Draisaitl has averaged 1.21 points per game in his career, and is very capable of racking up a handful of points on any given night. While MacKinnon has the lead for now thanks to his recent five-point night last week, he needs to keep the production steady in order to win.

Western Conference Champions – Colorado Avalanche (+450)

After a very active trade deadline, the Avalanche have the third best odds to win the Western Conference behind the Dallas Stars (+250) and the Edmonton Oilers (+380). Edmonton will always have a chance with Connor McDavid and Draisaitl leading the way, while the Stars made a splash at the deadline by adding former Avalanche star Mikko Rantanen.

The Avalanche are carrying a ton of momentum off their last homestead in which they went undefeated, and are continuing to build chemistry with the new additions to the squad. Colorado currently has the eighth most difficult schedule remaining in the league, but have leaped out of the Wild Card and into the third-place spot for the Central Division in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Stanley Cup Champions – Colorado Avalanche (+950)

When looking at the Stanley Cup, the Florida Panthers are currently the favorite (+500), followed by Dallas (+550), Edmonton (+800) and Colorado (+950). The oddsmakers clearly see the Western Conference as the more talented conference, as four of the top six teams to win the Cup are from the West.

Florida is very dangerous after the addition of Brad Marchand at the deadline, but the real worry for the Avalanche is getting through the West. Colorado’s current path to the Stanley Cup Final is Dallas, then the Las Vegas Golden Knights, then the Oilers.

Winning a Stanley Cup is incredibly difficult, but the Avalanche seem to have the roster and the camaraderie to do so.

While the individual awards for MacKinnon and Makar are nice, both players will say they’re focused on winning another Cup. For the Avalanche, they are in Minnesota tonight for a pivotal divisional showdown against the Wild on the second night of a back-to-back. A win would give the Avs a six-point cushion for third place in the division, but a loss would cut it to just two points.

All odds used are from FanDuel Sportsbook.