Buffalo Sabres
Oddsmakers Predict Taylor Hall Will Explode Offensively This Season
How big a 2020-21 season could Taylor Hall have in Buffalo? He’s being listed in the top 10 for Hart Trophy candidates by Vegas oddsmakers.
While the Hart Trophy is an individual award to the NHL player who is voted the NHL’s most valuable player, team results and playing partners often play a large factor in determining a winner. As such, it’s not a huge surprise to see a few teams with players and duos near the top of the top 10 list as oddsmakers rank the candidates.
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In early November, Las Vegas online betting outlet Sports Betting Dime released their Hart Trophy betting odds for 2020-21 and sitting at the top of the list is the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon. While MacKinnon’s spot at the top might be a tad surprising, he’s easily a favorite to finish in the top three and the Avalanche are expected to have a strong season as should he.
Coming in at a close second was the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid and in third was Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers.
Three Teams With Two Players Each
Notable from this list of the top 10 is the fact that three teams — the Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres — have two players each. McDavid and Leon Draisaitl seem like easy choices, as do Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. These two teams and three of these four players have been in the conversation for many years.
What’s interesting is the addition of Taylor Hall to this year’s favorites alongside Jack Eichel.
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Will Hall Explode Offensively in 2021-21?
Eichel certainly deserves to be there and Hall has won the award before (2017-18) but he’s coming off a season where he scored 52 points in 75 games. Those are not exactly Hart Trophy numbers. But, his inclusion suggest that oddsmakers think he’s going to have a rebound season playing with Eichel and that his numbers could explode in 2020-21.
What’s also intriguing is that Sports Betting Dime lists the importance of teams being playoff-caliber clubs when it comes to making their odds. If accurate, that the Sabres have both Hall and Eichel in the top 10 suggests the Sabres are being viewed as a team who will make a massive jump in the standings.
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