Odds to Win the Vezina Trophy: Rask is Closing in on the Hardware

As the 2019-20 NHL season enters its home stretch, the race to claim the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender is heating up. According to sportsbooks, Boston’s Tuukka Rask is the front-runner.

Rask is the +120 favorite at Bovada, with Andrei Vasilevskiy (+285), Connor Hellebuyck (+425), Jordan Binnington (+650), Ben Bishop (+750) and Jacob Markstrom (+1800) behind him.

Hellebuyck Has Bailed Out the Inconsistent Jets

As of February 5, Vasilevskiy was leading the NHL in wins (35), while Rask had the highest save percentage (.926) and goals-against average (2.18) among Vezina candidates. So, why is Hellebuyck in the running? The American’s 29-21-5 record, .921 SV% and 2.59 GAA might not be leading the league, but he’s the main reason the Jets are above .500 at this point in the campaign.

The Vezina, which is voted on by the 31 NHL general managers, is given to the netminder who is “adjudged to be the best at this position.” Hellebuyck has fared well despite an extremely depleted defense corps, as the Jets (35-28-6) were tied with the Vancouver Canucks and Nashville Predators for the top wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference as of this writing.

If the Jets make the postseason, it’s going to be because of Hellebuyck – a Vezina-worthy cause, in my opinion.

Rask Looks Like He Has the Vezina Locked Up

Rask’s price to win the Vezina was sitting at +400 a month ago, so it’s clear oddsmakers are respecting his play this season, evidenced by his +120 price. The Finn has already won the award once, in 2013-14, and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down despite having a significant amount of mileage on his tires at 32.

Boston’s defense is stellar and the Bruins look like they’re positioned for yet another deep playoff run. Rask is the goaltender to bet in the Vezina market this season.

Odds as of March 8 at Bovada