2020 Vezina Trophy Odds: Two Words: Tuukka Rask
By: Ryan Gilbert
The 2020 Vezina Trophy could go down to the wire. There have been several goaltenders in contention for the Trophy, with odds changing left and right.
In the most recent odds, we see a former longshot rise to the top. Hopefully you got on board in February (or earlier) when we told you to, but it’s not too late now.
The Vezina Trophy odds tell a story of two favorites, with a few more still hanging in there.
Vezina Trophy odds
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Tuukka Rask (Vezina Trophy Odds: +175)
It’s been a wild ride for Tuukka Rask.
Rask wasn’t even really in the Vezina Trophy conversation a few months ago. He started the season at +2000 odds before coming down to +750 in November and still +700 in January, just two months ago. However, he’s been on fire since. He is now the odds-on favorite to win the Vezina Trophy, and for good reason.
Rask is 24-7-6 on the season with four shutouts, a 2.13 goals against average, and .928 save percentage. Those marks have him at the top of the league in goals against average and fourth in save percentage. He is also tied for fourth in the league with four shutouts. Only three goalies have five shutouts, and two others have four.
His 25 wins are seventh in the league after a well-earned 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Every other goalie in the top 11 in wins has started at least 43 games while Rask has started only 39.
The Bruins have the best record in the league with six more points than the St. Louis Blues (and nine more than Tampa Bay). Rask is a big reason for that and he deserves to win the Vezina Trophy.
Connor Hellebuyck (Vezina Trophy Odds: +250)
Connor Hellebuyck’s Vezina Trophy odds have remained rather consistent since November. He, too, started the season at +2000 and reached as high as +2200 in October and November. Then they went down dramatically to +300 in early January, and have stayed in that range for the past two months.
Hellebuyck has been a workhorse for the Winnipeg Jets. He has started 53 of 68 games this season, and appeared in two more. He has a 28-21-5 record with a 2.64 goals against average and .920 save percentage behind a not-so-great defense.
He is tied for third in the league with 28 wins, is one of three goalies with a league-leading five shutouts, and is the only goalie in the top 10 in save percentage with more than 41 starts.
Those things matter a lot when it comes to voting. Rask’s injury in January may hurt his chances, as may the strong team in front of him. On the other hand, Hellebuyck has been a rock in net for Winnipeg and is putting up some great numbers.
It’s going to be a neck-and-neck race to the finish, and both of these guys have strong arguments.
Longshot of the Week: Andrei Vasilevskiy (Vezina Trophy Odds: +800)
It’s almost silly that Vasilevskiy is a longshot for the Vezina.
The reigning Vezina winner has a league-leading 33 wins, three more than any other goalie, and has a strong save percentage (.914) and goals against average (2.62).
He went 18-0-1 with a .940 save percentage from December 23 to February 15, which is an impressive enough stretch to stick in voters’ minds.
