2019 Vezina Trophy Odds: Vasilevskiy vs Andersen; Does Lehner Offer Any Value?
- The odds for the NHL’s Vezina trophy have been updated
- Andrei Vasilevskiy (+200) is a slight favorite over Frederik Andersen (+300)
- Will Vasilevskiy take home the hardware at the end of the year? Or is another goalie a better bet?
The race for the Vezina trophy has hit the home stetch.
With just over a month remaining in the NHL regular season, Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy is pacing the field when it comes to the top goaltender award.
It makes sense doesn’t it? The top goalie, playing on the top team?
With a solid crop behind him pushing for the award, here’s a look at the Vezina field.
2018/19 Vezina Trophy Odds
| Goalie | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Andrei Vasilevskiy | TB | +200 |
| Frederik Andersen | TOR | +300 |
| Robin Lehner | NYI | +700 |
| Carey Price | MTL | +800 |
| Marc-Andre Fleury | VGK | +1200 |
| Connor Hellebuyck | WPG | +1600 |
| David Rittich | CGY | +1600 |
| Martin Jones | SJ | +1600 |
| Braden Holtby | WSH | +2000 |
| Pekka Rinne | NSH | +2000 |
| Devan Dubnyk | MIN | +2500 |
| Sergei Bobrovsky | CBJ | +2500 |
*Odds taken 3/1
In terms of season-long odds, Vasilevskiy has ping-ponged in and out of the top spot in 2019 Vezina Trophy odds.
He started the year tied with Connor Hellebuyck in first, and on February 5th he was slightly behind Marc-Andre Fleury. Now he’s alone at the top once again.
Is Frederik Andersen a Worthy Vezina Number Two?
The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently third in their division, but that belies the fact they have the fourth-most points in the NHL.
Freddie Andersen is a big reason for that. Here’s how he stacks up with Vasilevskiy this year.
Vasilevskiy vs Andersen
| 40 (15th) | Starts | 46 (8th) |
| 29 (T-2nd) | Wins | 30 (T-1st) |
| 0.930 (2nd) | Save Percentage | 0.923 (8th) |
| 2.28 (5th) | Goals-Against Average | 2.59 (15th) |
| 6 (2nd) | Shutouts | 1 (40th) |
Vasilevskiy is comfortably ahead in most categories. Freddie has him in wins, but it’s only by one.
The roster ahead of Vasilevskiy also has one big advantage over Andersen, and its health.
Leafs Losing Bodies at Wrong Time
The past week has been something of a panic for the Maple Leafs.
After adding Jake Muzzin at the end of January, Toronto didn’t make another move for a defenseman ahead of the trade deadline.
It was widely believed to be their biggest need. Now it definitely is.
Earlier this week, the team announced that Jake Gardiner’s status was…iffy at best.
Jake Gardiner will not play tonight. He is week-to-week with a back injury. #LeafsForever
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) February 27, 2019
After that. More bad news. This time regarding Travis Dermott.
Travis Dermott will miss at least four weeks with a shoulder injury. Martin Marincin has been officially recalled from the AHL.
i would say everyone stay calm, but you won't.
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) February 28, 2019
That’s two defensemen down in the span of a week, and no reinforcements on the way outside of the system.
The Leafs have the 13th-most difficult schedule remaining in the league according to NHL.com. While that plays in Andersen’s favor, Toronto does play some talented offenses that could exploit a depleted depth chart.
Mike Babcock could also opt to give his goalie some rest, especially with three sets of back-to-backs remaining.
Carey Price’s Late Push for Vezina
Remember when Carey Price was having a terrible start to the season?
Well, it could all end with a Vezina trophy.
He’s helped the Canadiens back into a dog fight between three teams for the two Wild Card spots in the East. And he’s been pretty dominant since turning things around.
Carey Price Splits
| 18 | GP | 32 |
| 7-7-4 | Record | 19-11-1 |
| 0.897 | Save Percentage | 0.929 |
| 3.12 | Goals-Against Average | 2.18 |
| 1 | Shutouts | 2 |
The Habs have the ninth-hardest remaining schedule according to NHL.com, but they’re healthier than the Leafs.
They also have just two back-to-backs remaining, so there’s a chance that Price could maintain his two start lead over Andersen, and maybe Tampa rests Vasilevskiy.
Who’s the Best Vezina Bet?
With how dominant the Lightning have been all year, it’s tough to see them falling off, which keeps Vasilevskiy as the favorite.
Andrei Vasilevskiy continues to lead the @TBLightning through their remarkable season, making him @NHLdotcom's choice for the Vezina Trophy!
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/Au9u1C5AcI pic.twitter.com/133cyeyYlS
— NHL (@NHL) February 28, 2019
Robin Lehner is a great story, but he likely won’t have the games-played total the voters want.
He’d have to play another 14 games to get to 50, while outside of strike-shortened seasons, the floor is typically 55 to get Vezina consideration.
If you don’t like the value that Vasilevskiy offers this late in the year, then it looks like Carey Price, or even Marc-Andre Fleury (+1200), could be your best bets.
Bryan has spent the last decade working in the sports industry. From the sidelines in the OHL and Rugby League to behind the scenes at TSN, Bryan has a wealth of experience with a soft spot for props and parlays.
