2020 Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy Odds Tracker
- Which sniper is going to lead the NHL in goals this season?
- When the regular season was declared over, it was Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak leading the way in goals
- Track the Richard Trophy futures from opening night right up to the start of the playoffs
Editor’s note: on May 26, commissioner Gary Bettman announced the regular season is finished. Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak wound up tied for the league lead with 48 goals each. In the past, the league has award the trophy to both players in such instances (see 2004, 2010). Bettors holding a ticket on either Ovie or Pastrnak should get paid out.
The 2019-20 season sees a host of young snipers looking to bump Alexander Ovechkin from his pedestal as the NHL’s premier goal scorer. Ovechkin has won the Rocket Richard Trophy in six of the last seven years, with only Sidney Crosby (2017) interrupting his run.
Ovie is soon to be 35 years old, though, and he’ll be fighting off about a dozen players with a legitimate chance to hit the 40-goal mark.
The graphs below set out the odds to win the Rocket Richard Trophy at leading sportsbooks, from the preseason onward.
Odds to Win 2020 Rocket Richard Trophy: Top Contenders
- Dec. 9: Pastrnak (+220) still has a five-goal lead and has retaken the lead in the odds, with Ovie, McDavid, and Draisaitl all T2nd at +400.
- Dec. 2: Ovechkin is five goals back of Pastrnak (25 vs 20) but is now favored to win the Richard Trophy at +200.
- Nov. 25: Boston’s David Pastrnak leads the league with 20 goals in just 23 games; he’s the new Richard Trophy favorite at +275.
- Oct. 23: Heavy money must be coming in on Matthews, as he’s now a ludicrous +250, with Ovechkin (+750) and Draisaitl (+900) rounding out the top three.
- Oct. 11: A fast start from Auston Matthews (+500) has the Leafs star slightly ahead of Ovie (+550).
- Oct. 1: Ovechkin has opened as the betting chalk at +600.
2020 Rocket Richard Trophy Odds
| Player (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| David Pastrnak (Bruins) | +224 |
| Leon Draisaitl (Oilers) | +400 |
| Connor McDavid (Oilers) | +350 |
| Alex Ovechkin (Capitals) | +375 |
| Auston Matthews (Leafs) | +700 |
| Brad Marchand (Bruins) | +800 |
| Nathan MacKinnon (Avalanche) | +1201 |
| Jack Eichel (Sabres) | +5000 |
| Patrick Kane (Blackhawks) | +5000 |
| Jake Guentzel (Penguins) | +10000 |
Odds as of Dec. 9, 2019.
Notable Rocket Richard Trophy Trends
- In all but one 82-game season since the 2004-05 lockout, it has taken at least 49 goals to win the Rocket Richard Trophy. The only outlier is Crosby’s 44-goal campaign in 2016-17.
- Only two players have scored 49 or more goals in a season since 2012: Alex Ovechkin (five times) and Leon Draisaitl (once).
- No player from the Western Conference has won the Richard Trophy since Corey Perry (then with the Ducks) in 2010-11.
- The youngest players to ever win the Richard Trophy (which was established in 1998-99) are Rick Nash (2003-04) and Steven Stamkos (2011-12), both at the tender age of 19.
Keep up with all the NHL awards futures with SBD’s myriad odds trackers:
