Today, Jacob Punturi of Sports Illustrated released his early season Hart Trophy watchlist and the list was notably missing Oilers star Leon Draisaitl. The NHL season is just around the corner and various NHL analysts are putting out their preseason award watchlists. For the most part, these lists feature similar players for the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP. However, Jacob Punturi made the bold prediction that Leon Draisaitl will not be in the conversation for the award. <h3>Leon Draisaitl Left Off Early Season Hart Trophy List</h3> The list does however feature Oilers center Connor McDavid as the current odds on favorite to win the Hart Trophy. The 2023 Hart Trophy winner is in the final season of his current contract with the Oilers. While both sides remain optimistic that a deal is finalized, it hangs over their heads as the season begins. Once he hits the ice, however, McDavid's world-class status takes over. The undisputed top player didn't claim any individual hardware last season, and there's no chance that repeats in the upcoming campaign. Joining McDavid as a frontrunner is Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck who is looking to be the first repeat Hart Trophy winner since Alex Ovechkin in 2009. The NHL hasn't seen a player repeat as the league MVP since 2009, when Alexander Ovechkin claimed his second consecutive Hart Trophy. The last time a goaltender accomplished the feat was a decade before that, when Dominik Hasek won back-to-back Hart Trophies in 1997 and 1998. If any goalie of the current era could achieve this feat, it's Hellebuyck. The Jets are still relying heavily on his game to bring them to postseason prominence. Punturi also mentions Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, and David Pastrnak as top contenders for the award. Sports Illustrated's omission of Draisaitl from the list is surprising as he has won the award in the past and remains a consensus top 10 player in the NHL. As the season gets underway, it will be fun to see if Draisaitl can prove these pundits wrong and reclaim his spot as one of the best players in the NHL.