NHL Western Conference Odds: Goalie Carter Hart’s Return to NHL Sparks Vegas Golden Knights

The early month of December marks the opening third of the NHL’s 82 game regular season. Dec. 1 was a milestone date for 27-year-old goaltender Carter Hart as part of our NHL Western Conferece odds and hockey coverage including the Vegas Golden Knights.

The former Philadelphia Flyers goalie with more than 200 NHL starts became eligible to return to the National Hockey League following his acquittal on sexual assault chargers along with four other former Canadian world junior hockey players. Hart signed with the Vegas Golden Knights in October, and he made his VGK debut on Dec. 2 in Las Vegas after nearly two years away from competitive hockey.

Hart’s return was more than a winning one on the scoreboard as Vegas won a dramatic 4-3 overtime thriller over the Chicago Black Hawks as a heavy moneyline favorite. I was in attendance for Hart’s VGK debut to see players and fans’ reactions. The response was overwhelmingly favorable for the Golden Knights and their new teammate, who suffered through nearly two years of emotional distress and court hearings and trial in Ontario before his first NHL action since January, 2024.

Goalie Saves And Hart’s Hopeful And Emotional Return To The NHL

Vegas Golden Knights team coverage and content for The Athletic is by former goalie Jesse Granger, who posts on X and is also a TV correspondent for the NHL Network.

While I was at the Black Hawks-Golden Knights game to see the Vegas victory in overtime, it was a special Knight to watch Hart’s performance and VGK players support in Carter Hart’s emotional return to the NHL. It was also fun to see the fans at the Fortress explode with exuberance when Vegas tied the game 3-3 in the closing minutes to send the game to overtime ahead of a NHL Western Conference odds victory.

That’s when Hart played with even more heart and delivered several game-saving stops of Chicago’s six shots in overtime playing 3-on-3. Hart stopped 3-of-4 shots in the shootout as well, including one on Black Hawks 20-year-old superstar Connor Bedard. The 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick scored his 17th goal against VGK to give the Black Hawks a 3-2 lead in the third period before the Golden Knights rallied for a thrilling victory in Vegas.

Granger reported that the longer and louder post-game celebration from the Golden Knights locker room “was the loudest cheer I’ve heard from within the dressing room walls in quite awhile” following the 4-3 victory.

Hart got choked up and wiped away tears in front of reporters when asked about taking the ice pregame.

“Skating out onto the ice for the first time… It didn’t really sink in until the National Anthem,” Hart said post game. “I was kind of looking around, and that feeling that you’re back playing. It’s been a really difficult journey to get back,” Hart continued as he started to crack with emotion. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my family and friends. I’m just so happy to be playing the game again.”

Golden Knights star defenseman Shea Theodore, a member of Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off team last season, added more comments about Carter Hart after Theodore’s game-winning goal in the shootout earned him No. 1 star of the game and Hart No. 3 star as the team stays near the top of the NHL Western Conference odds as an early season favorite.

“I thought he was outstanding. He made a lot of huge saves, especially in the shootout. We’re all happy and proud of him.”

More coverage of the Vegas Golden Knights and Carter Hart’s debut by Las Vegas Sun sports writer, reporter and insightful sports betting analyst and handicapper Case Keefer, who I sat next to and talked with during the Black Hawks-Golden Knights game Dec. 2.

Included is Golden Knights captain Mark Stone, who said he’s been drawn to how hard Hart has worked since arriving with the Stanley Cup-winning franchise, and how Hart has usually been the last player off the ice at practice.

“When your teammate puts in that kind of work and effort to work his way back, you want to reward him,” Stone said. “He rewarded us. It’s a good win for him, and I think he’s going to get more comfortable as we go.”

You can bet on it.

Young Stars Rising In The NHL

Connor Bedard is currently top-5 in NHL scoring (39 points) and goals (18) through just 27 games this season. The Vancouver native won the 2024 Calder Memorial Trophy last season as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year after leading all rookies with 61 points (22 goals, 39 assists) in 68 games having missed time with a broken jaw. After Chicago selected Bedard No. 1 in the 2023 NHL entry draft, Anaheim took center Leo Carlsson with the No. 2 overall pick. The current 20-year-old Swedish star is also top-5 in scoring this season (14 goals, 36 points). They are joined by 19-year-old USA center Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks (14 goals, 40 points), who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft after playing just one season at Boston University and earning the Hoby Baker Award as a freshman as the top player in college hockey. Celebrini had 63 points (25 goals, 38 assists) in 70 games in last year’s NHL rookie season. Celebrini’s teammate Will Smith (12 goals, 27 points) was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft out of Boston College, just behind Bedard, Carlsson and Adam Fantilli (11 goals, 19 points) who scored 31 goals last season.

Those young trio of stars are only trailing two other superstars and former No. 1 overall draft picks in scoring. Nathan MacKinnon (22 goals, 46 points of the Colorado Avalanche and Connor McDavid (14 goals, 40 points) of the Edmonton Oilers with Golden Knights star center Jack Eichel (11 goals, 32 points) also among the league scoring leaders as the former No. 2 overall pick out of Boston University for the Buffalo Sabres behind McDavid in the 2015 NHL draft.

 NHL Western Conference Odds And 2025-26 Stanley Cup Odds

 Following games on Dec. 4, here are the adjusted odds to win the Western Conference and Stanley Cup from top online sportsbook BetOnline. Teams records and points included with Wins-Losses-OT-Shootout losses.

• +200 / +375: Colorado Avalanche (19-2-3-3, 44 points)
• +400 / +900: Vegas Golden Knights (12-6-6-2, 32 points)
• +500 / +1000: Edmonton Oilers (12-11-3-2, 29 points)
• +600 / +1200 : Dallas Stars (18-5-3-2, 41 points)
• +1200 / +2800: Los Angeles Kings (12-8-2-5, 31 points)
• +1200 / +200: Winnipeg Jets (13-12-0-1, 27 points)
• +2000 / +4000: Anaheim Ducks (16-10-1-0, 33 points)
• +2000 / +4000: Utah Mammoth (13-12-3-0, 29 points)
• +2500 / +5000: Minnesota Wild (15-8-4-1, 35 points)
• +5000 / +10000: St. Louis Blues (9-12-5-2, 25 points)
• +7500 / +15000: Vancouver Canucks (10-14-3-0, 23 points)
• +10000 / +25000: Seattle Kraken (11-8-3-3, 28 points)
• +12500 / +25000: San Jose Sharks (13-12-2-1, 29 points)
• +15000 / +25000: Chicago Black Hawks (12-9-4-2, 30 points)
• +15000 / +25000: Calgary Flames (10-15-2-2, 24 points)
• +15000 / +30000: Nashville Predators (10-13-4-0, 24 points)

If you’re looking for a potential longshot or value in current odds, the Minnesota Wild (50/1 to win Stanley Cup) offer a top goalie tandem and cohesive team now playing to their potential and preseason projections. The Wild tied for the most wins (11) and points (24) in November including 7-straight wins that included victories over NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights.

The NHL season is a long grind filled with rigorous travel and road trips. Many players battle through injuries, and Vegas is now on their fourth goalie after starter and VGK Stanley Cup-winning goalie Adin Hill went down with a lower-body injury Oct. 20 and is week-to-week for his return. Hart’s debut against the Black Hawks will be followed by potentially three starts on the Golden Knights Eastern conference road trip starting Dec. 5 at New Jersey. Carter Hart’s emotional return to the NHL will be a storyline to watch the rest of the season, as he also likely plays against his former team in Philadelphia Dec. 11 when the Golden Knights skate, shoot and score against the Flyers.

Follow all the latest sports betting news, leagues, matchups and odds including hockey updates as you watch and wager on the games. BetOnline is a leader in setting the lines and providing a large menu of betting options for all major pro and college sports along with entertainment and election odds including popular prop bets.