Rask Favored Over Hellebuyck in Updated 2020 Vezina Trophy Odds
- Tuukka Rask sits atop the Vezina trophy odds board at +175, ahead of Connor Hellebuyck (+250)
- Rask is fresh off his fourth shutout and is 10-3-1 in his last 14 starts
- Get updated odds for the top contenders to win the Vezina Trophy below
The Boston Bruins own the NHL’s best record and a large portion of the credit goes to Tuukka Rask. The Bruins netminder is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Rask is now a strong favorite to win his second Vezina Trophy ahead of the Jets Connor Hellebuyck.
Vezina Trophy Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tuukka Rask | +175 |
| Connor Hellebuyck | +250 |
| Andrei Vasilevskiy | +600 |
| Ben Bishop | +600 |
| Jordan Binnington | +600 |
| Frederik Andersen | +1400 |
Odds taken on March 2nd
Rask’s 2020 Vezina Trophy odds are now +175, the shortest they’ve been all season. The 13-year veteran is fresh off a 25-save shutout of the New York Islanders, the fourth of his campaign, and has been on fire since the start of the new year.
Rask Has Been Red-Hot
Rask ended 2019 with a 3-2 win over the visiting Buffalo Sabres and proceeded to start the new year allowing two goals or fewer in each of his next 10 starts. He led Boston to wins in eight of those 10 outings, compiling a ridiculous .951 save percentage along the way.
Shutout No. 4️⃣ for 4️⃣0️⃣.@tuukkarask | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/k1JPexx1iE
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 29, 2020
He suffered a minor hiccup last week, allowing 10 goals in two games to the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames, but rebounded nicely on the weekend by blanking the Isles.
Rask ranks first in the NHL in goals-against average and goals saved above average, while sitting second in save percentage at even strength and third in overall high danger save percentage.
The one knock against him is that he’s only made 38 starts (compared to 54 by Hellebuyck), but among goaltenders who’ve started at least 35 times, no one has stopped pucks at a higher rate.
He’s one of the most important pieces on a team that looks destined to make a Stanley Cup run and don’t underestimate how much team success will play into the voting.
Hellebuyck and Jets on Playoff Bubble
Since the Vezina Trophy became an individual award in the 1981-82 season, only one goalie whose team did not make the playoffs has taken home the hardware. That was Sergei Bobrovsky in 2013, in a season without a truly dominant netminder.
This year, Hellebuyck is threatening to become the second netminder to accomplish the feat. His Jets are outside the playoff picture with 15 games remaining, and have played three more times than the Nashville Predators who currently occupy the final Wild Card spot.
Connor Hellebuyck doing Connor Hellebuyck things. ??♂️ pic.twitter.com/MK5ZaS3AgO
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) February 28, 2020
The five-year veteran is tied for the NHL lead with five shutouts, but ranks well below Rask in GAA and save percentage. He has recorded three more victories, but he’s also started 16 more times.
Rask vs Hellebuyck Stats
| 38 | Games Played | 54 |
| 24 | Wins | 27 |
| 2.16 | GAA | 2.67 |
| .928 | Save % | .919 |
| 4 | Shutouts | 5 |
Roll With Rask
It’s no coincidence that Hellebuyck’s recent rough patch has been accompanied by a drop in his odds. A month ago, he was the Vezina Trophy favorite ahead of Rask, but the two have since swapped spots and it doesn’t look like Rask will be looking back.
Rask’s GAA, winning and save percentage are the highest they’ve been since the 2013-14 campaign, a season in which he captured his first Vezina Trophy. He’s been virtually unbeatable at home, losing just once in regulation all year, and if the Bruins go on to capture the President’s Trophy, his resume will be too strong to ignore.
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
