Last year, the NHL’s top goalie award, the Vezina Trophy, was handed to New York Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin. The Russian goaltender posted a league-best .935 save percentage and 2.07 goals-against average, not to mention a ridiculous 34.1 goals saved above expected.
Shesterkin was top-class and should have earned more than his 34 percent share of the Hart Trophy voting for backstopping the Rangers to second in the Metro Division and into the playoffs.
With roughly a quarter of the 2022-23 campaign left, a variety of sportsbooks have narrowed down the odds for who will be the league’s top goalie this season with one particular name leading by a solid margin. Linus Ullmark is heavily favored at -210, followed by Connor Hellebuyck (+550) and Ilya Sorokin (+600). Jake Oettinger (+1100) and Shesterkin (+1600) round out our top five.
Here are the goalies listed as contenders on the 2022-23 Vezina Trophy oddsboard:
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NHL Vezina Trophy Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Linus Ullmark (BOS) | -210 |
| Connor Hellebuyck (WPG) | +550 |
| Ilya Sorokin (NYI) | +600 |
| Jake Oettinger (DAL) | +1100 |
| Igor Shesterkin (NYR) | +1600 |
| Juuse Saros (NAS) | +2000 |
| Andrei Vasilevskiy (TB) | +2500 |
| Alexandar Georgiev (COL) | +5000 |
| Carter Hart (PHI) | +7500 |
| Frederik Andersen (CAR) | +7500 |
| Ilya Samsonov (TOR) | +7500 |
| Logan Thompson (VGK) | +10000 |
| Matt Murray (TOR) | +10000 |
| Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA) | +10000 |
| Tristan Jarry (PIT) | +10000 |
| Ville Husso (DET) | +10000 |
| Vitek Vanecek (NJ) | +10000 |
| Jeremy Swayman (BOS) | +30000 |
| Spencer Knight (FLA) | +30000 |
Odds as of February 22
Why Is Linus Ullmark The Favorite To Win The Vezina In 2022-23?
Ullmark wasn’t even listed in our opening odds but now the 29-year-old leads the league in wins (29), goals-against average (1.88) and save percentage (.937). After signing with the Bruins as an unrestricted free agent a season ago, the Swede has played an integral part in leading Boston to the top of the Atlantic Division and to the top of the Stanley Cup odds as a +450 wager.
Linus Ullmark is 29-4-1. 🤯#NHLBruins #NHL
— Andrew Raycroft (@AndrewRaycroft) February 20, 2023
The Bruins are allowing a league-low 2.05 goals per game and Ullmark’s success this season can’t be denied – he has just four losses in regulation so far that are easily overshadowed by his 29 wins.
Value Picks To Win The Vezina In 2022-23
Connor Hellebuyck (+550)
Though Ullmark has created some distance, Hellebuyck is looking for his second Vezina Trophy after taking home the hardware in 2020 with a .922 save percentage, 2.57 GAA and six shutouts. The 29-year-old has earned three goose eggs this year, tying him for fourth in the league, and packs a noble .926 save percentage to rank third.
The Winnipeg Jets, second in the Central Division, are starting to look like themselves again under new head coach Rick Bowness. But Hellebuyck is the one to thank. He has turned in a number of highlight-reel performances, including a 40-save shutout over the reigning champion Colorado Avalanche in late November and a recent 50-save effort in a 4-1 road victory over the New York Rangers. He has recorded 30 or more saves on 19 occasions this season. If the six-foot-four goaltender continues to stand on his head and the Jets cruise to the playoffs, I think his odds will surge.
Ilya Sorokin (+600)
If the New York Islanders continue to gather momentum, there’s still a chance Sorokin could win the award in 2022-23. Just look at his numbers in 2021-22:
- .925 SV% (second in NHL)
- 2.40 GAA (fourth in NHL)
- 7 shutouts (second in NHL)
- .712 quality starts (second in NHL)
- 12.8 goals saved above expected (10th in NHL)
Those stats were collected with defensive holes and the group of Chara, Greene, Aho and Salo averaging an awful 43.66 xGF% at 5-on-5 on the year. Now, the 27-year-old is on a similar pace, carrying a .924 save percentage (ranked fifth) and a 2.43 GAA. He has posted five shutouts as we gear up for March, the most of any goalie in the league. The Islanders, currently fourth in the Metro Division, have what it takes to become a true threat with Sorokin between the pipes.
Last 10 Vezina Trophy Winners
| Year | Goaltender | Preseason Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Igor Shesterkin (New York Rangers) | +2000 |
| 2021 | Marc-Andre Fleury (Vegas Golden Knights) | +4000 |
| 2020 | Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) | +2000 |
| 2019 | Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning) | +550 |
| 2018 | Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators) | +1500 |
| 2017 | Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus Blue Jackets) | N/A |
| 2016 | Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals) | +1300 |
| 2015 | Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens) | +650 |
| 2014 | Tuukka Rask (Boston Bruins) | +700 |
| 2013 | Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus Blue Jackets) | +1000 |
| 2012 | Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers) | +900 |
The last three awards have gone to goalies who weren’t even being considered at the start of the season, each having early odds of +2000 or higher. This just proves that a value pick for a Vezina Trophy winner isn’t as far-fetched as you might think.
Making A Futures Bet
A futures bet is a wager made on events or milestones that will happen in time. The Vezina Trophy bet is a form of futures betting because you are making a pick based on an outcome determined at the end of the NHL season. The trophy is given out in mid-June and if you want to get a bigger payout, it’s best to lock in your bets sooner rather than later so you can take advantage of better odds. The closer it gets to Vezina Trophy voting, the more the odds will change.
How To Read Vezina Trophy Odds
The above chart features the odds for each top goalie in the NHL. At your sportsbook of choice, the betting lines would look something like this:
Linus Ullmark +200
Ilya Sorokin +250
Connor Hellebuyck +350
This means that Ullmark is the favorite since he has the lowest odds and the highest chance of winning the prop, according to oddsmakers. If you were to bet $100 on Ullmark and he won, you would get a payout of $300 – your original $100 is returned along with your winnings of $200.
On the other hand, if you strongly believe that Connor Hellebuyck is going to win the Vezina with the Jets, a winning $100 bet on him would yield $450 – your $100 comes back along with your prize of $350.
Our Odds Calculator will show you how much you’d win based on the odds and amount bet.
What Is A Futures Bet For NHL Teams?
When it comes to big events for any sport, you can bet months in advance. In this case, a futures bet is a wager made on which goaltender will win the Vezina Trophy. Each week, oddsmakers will update the odds to reflect how the goalie is doing. If the player suddenly is injured or hits a point slump, their chances of winning the award slim down. A surging player will see their odds skyrocket.
