If you’re interested in winning a ton of money, you should bet on a few Toronto Maple Leafs players immediately.
No this is not a scam. If you’re looking to get a huge payout on your return, betting on Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner could increase your fortune.
As an avid gambler, here is my disclaimer before I continue. Don’t bet on anything you can’t afford and typically don’t take my advice. I’ve been so cold on my picks lately that my friends ask me for my advice only to bet the opposite of what I’m thinking.
However, when it comes to gambling, it’s all about the value. It’s all about finding that diamond in the rough, where the odds don’t make sense. And fortunately, a few Toronto Maple Leafs are at the top of the undervalued category this year.
If you look at the tweet below, it outlines the odds for the Art Ross, Hart, Norris and Calder Trophy. The only award we’re not going to talk about is the Norris Trophy. See odds across multiple sites at oddsshark.com.
Some NHL awards odds from @betonline_ag: pic.twitter.com/LguTxN4NlQ
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) December 15, 2020
Toronto Maple Leafs Have Three Chances at Awards
Art Ross Trophy:
Auston Matthews: 20/1
If you’re unsure what the odds means, a $100 bet would return $2,000 in profit on a 20/1 bet. That’s a nice, return.
I don’t think Matthews has a chance at this award, but Marner’s value is incredible. This year is going to look completely different. It’s going to be a 56-game sprint and the Leafs are going to be playing the same six teams night-after-night. Of those six teams, the best team in Goals Allowed last year was the Winnipeg Jets and they finished 12th in the NHL.
I know that some teams progressed and other digressed in the off-season, but the Leafs will be playing inferior defensive opponents every single night. Previously paired up against the Boston Bruins (1st in GA) and Tampa Bay Lightning (9th) for 10 percent of their season, it could be “Point-Night” for the Leafs every game.
Marner’s already been well over a point-per-game player for his last two seasons. In a 56 game season against these same teams every night, a 75-point season isn’t out of the question for him, which would put him in the conversation for this award.
Calder Trophy:
If Robertson plays every night, there’s no reason why he can’t win the Calder Trophy.
Sure, Alexis Lafreniere is the favorite because he was the 2020 first-overall pick, but Robertson is a year older and already has a few NHL games under his belt. He also scored 55 goals in his last year of junior and dominated the Ontario Hockey League.
The ice-time is the biggest question, but if he ends up playing for the Leafs, he’s going to be playing with some high-end talent, too. This team is going to be a top-three team in Goals For again, so he should be able to rack up the points. At 35-1, there’s no reason not to put a few bucks on him, because if he wins, that payout will be massive.
Hart Trophy:
Mitch Marner: 20/1
If Marner wins the Art Ross, he would 100 percent have a chance at the Hart Trophy, but I think Matthews has the best chance to do so, and his odds are laughable.
Like I’ve mentioned before, the All-Canadian Division is not strong defensively and they allow a ton of goals. Even against the best teams in the NHL, Matthews is a scoring machine. This is the hottest of all hot-takes, but I think there’s a world where Matthews gets close to a goal-per-game this year. 50 goals in 50 games could truly be in the realm of possibility.
I know that’s an insane take, but the Leafs will get to play the Ottawa Senators nine times. Matthews will score a minimum of 15 goals just against Ottawa this year. The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames also have an inferior defense-group, so Matthews should be scoring at will.
Based on his progression, his opponents, the 56-game sprint and missing out on the ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy by one goal last year, I think Matthews comes out hungrier than ever. In fact, Matthews will become the first Leafs player since Ted Kennedy in 1955 to win the Hart Trophy.