Opening Odds to Win 2020-21 Vezina Trophy – Vasilevskiy, Hellebuyck, & Rask Listed as Co-Favorites

• Opening 2021 Vezina Trophy odds have been released
• Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, and Boston’s Tuukka Rask are co-favored
• Which goalie is the best bet to win the 2021 Vezina? See odds, analysis, and our best bet below

Odds on which NHL goalie will win the 2021 Vezina Trophy have been released. Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck is a favorite to repeat, but he isn’t alone at the top of Vezina Trophy odds. Boston’s Tuukka Rask and Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy are also co-favored.

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart is being listed as a +1100 longshot after a sensational sophomore season, while Rangers’ goalie Igor Shesterkin is listed at the same value as he prepares to take over for Henrik Lundqvist.

Which goalie presents the best value in the opening odds?

2020-21 NHL Vezina Trophy Odds

Odds taken Nov. 16

Talented Trio Co-Favored

It’s no surprise that the three finalists for the 2020 Vezina Trophy are the opening co-favorites for the 2021 Vezina Trophy. Hellebyuck won his first Vezina in 2020 after a workhorse season that saw him start 56 games and lead the Jets into the playoffs despite a depleted blueline. No goalie has won back-to-back Vezinas since Martin Brodeur went back-to-back in 2007 and 2008.

Hellebuyck is the best bet for 2021 out of the co-favorites due to the team he plays on. The Jets allowed the third-most amount of shots in the Western Conference last season and have an inexperienced blueline following Dustin Byfuglien’s departure. Hellebuyck faced a whopping 412 high-danger shots in 2020, which was far more than anyone else.

Vasilevskiy will be back behind a Stanley Cup caliber blueline next season, while Rask is playing behind Boston’s stellar defense. Hellebuyck is in the prime of his career and will once again be relied upon in a way that none of these other favorites will be.

Hart, Shesterkin Youngsters With Promise 

Philadelphia’s Carter Hart and New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin are both rising goaltenders with Vezina potential in the coming years. Hart posted a solid .914 save percentage in his sophomore season and took his game to the next level in the playoffs.

Hart is an intriguing Vezina play, but the better bet may be in 2022 or 2023. The youngster only posted 24 wins last season and is still sharing starts with backup Brian Elliott. Vezina voting has been biased towards wins recently, as the Vezina winner over the last six years has averaged 41 victories.

Shesterkin has posted absurd stats in the KHL and will be taking over for the departed Henrik Lundqvist in the Rangers crease. The 24-year-old only has 12 NHL games under his belt, however, and could need a year to get adjusted to full-time duties. He’s likely a better wager in the Calder odds, as no rookie has won the Vezina since Ron Hextall in 1987.

Andersen is an Intriguing Longshot 

Out of all the longshots listed in the opening odds, Toronto’s Frederik Andersen is one with value. The 31-year-old is entering a contract year and will be facing immense pressure to prove he can be the guy in the Toronto crease.

Andersen has started at least 60 games in each of the last three full NHL seasons and is primed for a big year behind an improved Maple Leafs’ defense that added T.J. Brodie and Zach Bogosian in the offseason. The veteran goalie was one of the better goalies in the 2020 Return-To-Play, posting a .936 save percentage as the Leafs lost to the Blue Jackets in the qualifying round.

Unlike some goalies on this list such as Rask, Robin Lehner, and Braden Holtby, Andersen isn’t expected to have a significant amount of starts stolen away by a talented backup goaltender. He’s been the go-to-guy in Toronto for several years now and could deliver his best year yet as he aims for a massive payday on his next contract.

Best Bet: Frederik Andersen (+1100)