The NHL makes player awards more fun, as they do a fantastic job separating and highlighting how different positions can impact the game.
In a sense, you get three NHL MVP winners every year. One is lauded for their elite offense (the Hart Trophy), another is praised for their defense, and then you have the league’s best goalie.
They’re all impressive in their own ways, and predicting the winner isn’t ever easy. The Vezina Trophy odds are next up on my watch list, with my most recent conquest being my Norris Trophy predictions.
Much like every other major NHL player future, this betting market is tough to peg. History suggests a new winner will be honored, but who will it be? Find out as I analyze the latest odds to win the Vezina Trophy and work my way to a prediction.
2024-25 NHL Vezina Trophy Odds
The latest NHL odds for this betting market can be found at BetUS and other online sportsbooks.
2024-25 NHL Vezina Trophy Odds | 2024-25 NHL Vezina Trophy Odds |
---|---|
Igor Shesterkin +600 | Jeremy Swayman +600 |
Thatcher Demko +800 | Connor Hellebuyck +900 |
Ilya Sorokin +1200 | Jake Oettinger +1200 |
Jacob Markstrom +1200 | Juuse Saros +1200 |
Sergei Bobrovsky +2000 | Linus Ullmark +2200 |
Adin Hill +2500 | Jordan Binnington +2500 |
Charlie Lindgren +4000 | Stuart Skinner +5000 |
Frederik Andersen +5000 | Pyotr Kochetkov +5000 |
Connor Ingram +5000 | Logan Thompson +6000 |
Filip Gustavsson +7500 | Tristan Jarry +7500 |
Igor Shesterkin is the odds on favorite to win the 2024-25 Vezina Trophy, per most online sports betting sites.
He is far from consensus, of course. Jeremy Swayman shares the same +600 betting odds, and both of these guys are prices like guesses more than locked and loaded favorites.
Not too far behind them are Thatcher Demko and Connor Hellebuyck, priced at +800 and +800, respectively. That gives bettors four legit contenders within +1000 odds, while another four goalies are in play at +1200 odds ro better.
In fact, you need to get 13 goalies deep before anyone is even priced beyond +2500.
This betting market appears to be wide open, and that may be even more so the case if you look back and realize that 13 of the last 15 goalies have been first time winners of the award.
So, do you bet on a previous winner getting lucky number two, or is there a better bet lurking in the shadows? I’ll first inspect the main favorites and see who else stands out as likely candidates to win the 2024-25 Vezina Trophy.
Why Are Shesterkin and Swayman Co-Favored to Win the 2024-25 Vezina Trophy?
At the time of this writing, Igor Shesterkin and Jeremy Swayman are listed as co-favorites to win the Vezina Trophy in 2024.
Obviously only one of them can win, but the online betting sites don’t see much of a gap between the two. It’s certainly understandable that Shersterkin is revered, seeing as he won this thing just three years ago in 2021-22 with the New York Rangers.
He had a stout 36-13 record with 1,516 saves and just 2.07 goals allowed per game, so it’s easy to see why. To be frank, his production really hasn’t slipped since then, either. He’s had 36+ wins in the last two seasons, and he is still racking up saves.
The goals allowed haven’t been nearly as good, of course. However, if he can keep that in check (which seems quite possible given New York’s strong overall defense), he makes sense as a top contender in 2024-25.
Perhaps bettors will be more into Swayman, seeing as he’s never won before.
Swayman has yet to broach the elite wins numbers Shesterkin has, and he also doesn’t have the save numbers. However, he still finished fifth in save percentage in 2023, and over the past two years he’s been the better per game net protector when compared to Shesterkin.
At just 25, it’s arguable there are very bright days ahead for Swayman. He’s already proven what he’s capable of, he’s not that far behind Shesterkin statistically, and he goaltends for a solid Boston Bruins franchise.
Of the two, however, I do have a lean toward Igor. He’s more experienced, he’s had better seasons, he’s on the superior team, and he’s won this hardware in the past.
Ideally, we could focus on Swayman as a pivot later in the year with enhanced odds. If they’re going to have the same Vezina award odds, I can’t break away from the Rangers star.
Top 2024-25 NHL Vezina Trophy Contenders
If the seemingly two best bets start the bidding at +600, then you better believe I am interested in seeing what else is out there.
There are absolutely a few other worthwhile Vezina contenders, and I have two in particular I’ll be eyeing at online sportsbooks.
Thatcher Demko +800
Demko is an interesting case, as he finished tied fourth in wins (35) last year, despite only starting 51 games. That’s the fewest appearances of anyone in the top 12 in wins.
Despite not having the same advantage, Demko racked up 1,366 saves and recorded five shutouts. Those numbers ranked 10th and tied for second, respectively.
Are you seeing the dominance? Because I sure am.
It might translate better when you look at his per game production. Demko didn’t play as much as the top producers, but he had a sweet 91% save percentage (6th best) and allowed just 2.45 goals per game (ranked 7th).
Just as important as all of that, Demko was a key piece to a very good Vancouver Canucks defense that gave up just 223 goals during the regular season. His team won 50 games and reached the NHL playoffs, too.
Every box is checked here. Demko offers solid betting value and arguably simply needs to play in more games (and maintain his efficiency) to give himself a shot at his first Vezina nod.
Connor Hellebuyck +900
Can Connor Hellebuyck repeat as the Vezina award winner? Nobody has won back-to-back Vezina Trophy awards since Martin Brodeur in 2006 and 2007.
It has to help that Hellebuyck has won twice now, so perhaps his dominance will give way to the rare repeat goalie title.
Nobody would be mad, either. He’s the central piece to an amazing Winnipeg Jets defense that allowed just 199 goals in 2023.
Hellebuyck was a huge reason why, allowing just 2.39 goals per game (6th best average), while also racking up the second most saves in all of hockey.
His stellar play also generated the NHL’s fourth best save percentage (92%), while he also tied for the second most shutout games (5) and enjoyed the second most victories on the year.
From top to bottom, Hellebuyck was a total stud and the engine to hockey’s most stingy defense. His price is even amazing at +900, leaving little for bettors to hang their hat on when looking for a reason to fade him.
The one compelling negative? He’s already won and repeat winners are rare. If you’re afraid of history, I agree that backing Hellebuyck does feel scary. Beyond that, the value is to die for.
Best Value Bet to Win the 2024-25 Vezina Trophy
I don’t need to keep telling you this betting market is loaded with value. Anytime you have a favorite priced at +600 – nay, two favorites – you know you’re in for a treat.
There are obviously more candidates to consider, as I’ve detailed. However, it might get better, as Sergei Bobrovsky feels mispriced with +2000 Vezina Trophy odds.
This is another former winner, but Bobrovsky is far removed from his two Vezina crowns. He last won in 2016-17, and won for the first time back in 2012-13.
Age is just a number, it seems, as the 35-year old delivered one of his better seasons to date in 2023. His 2.37 goals allowed per game was his third best rate of his career and also ranked third in the NHL last season.
His 36-17-4 record for the Florida Panthers happened to tie for third, too, while he tied for the most shutouts and was seventh in saves percentage. All of this was done for a Panthers squad that narrowly missed out on hockey’s best record, allowed just 216 goals during the regular season, and went on to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Trophy.
Perhaps it’s the swan song for the longtime goaltender. It’s not impossible, but he had 39 wins three years ago, and he’s protecting the net for a reigning champ that has solid Stanley Cup Final odds going into the 2024-25 campaign.
If he’d been crowned the Vezina winner last year, nobody would have scoffed. If he can have a slightly better season in 2024, it’s not crazy to imagine a third trophy sliding into his hands.
Prediction for the 2024-25 Vezina Trophy Winner
This isn’t an easy NHL betting market to predict. I don’t see a bad path to take here, to be honest.
Connor Hellebuyck is perfectly capable of repeating as the Vezina Trophy winner. Igor Shesterkin and Jeremy Swayman are completely deserving co-favorites.
I can even see a world where the aging Boborvsky rises up and earns his third win.
For me, though, the best combination of talent, production, and value resides with Demko. I think anyone who is a logical pick but hasn’t claimed this award yet is a good place to start.
Demko was super efficient and productive despite missing out on some starts. If he can play close to a full season and his Canucks continue to be a force in the Western Conference, I like his chances of winning this award for the first time in his career.
Bet: Thatcher Demko +900
Recent Vezina Trophy Winners
Year | Winner | Team |
---|---|---|
2023-24 | Connor Hellebuyck | Winnipeg Jets |
2022-23 | Linus Ullmark | Boston Bruins |
2021-22 | Igor Shesterkin | New York Rangers |
2020-21 | Marc-Andre Fleury | Vegas Golden Knights |
2019-20 | Connor Hellebuyck | Winnipeg Jets |
2018-19 | Andrei Vasilevskiy | Tampa Bay Lightning |
2017-18 | Pekka Rinne | Nashville Predators |
2016-17 | Sergei Bobrovsky | Columbus Blue Jackets |
2015-16 | Braden Holtby | Washington Capitals |
2014-15 | Carey Price | Montreal Canadiens |