NHL futures: Should Adin Hill have better odds to win the Vezina Trophy?
At roughly the halfway point of the NHL season, we have a pretty good idea of who the betting favorites are to win the end-of-the-year awards. But, of course, there is always at least one player listed at long odds to win an award that should have a much better shot.
Such is the case in the race among the league's top goaltenders to win this year's Vezina Trophy — a race that Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill could be closer to winning than his odds entail.
The most recent odds at FanDuel show that the goalie race is the fiercest in the Western Conference. Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck has become the new favorite at +220 (11-5) odds, followed closely by Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko at +340 (17-5).
So why is Hill — who is coming off of winning a Stanley Cup and has some of the best stats in the league — listed at longer +1300 (13-1) odds to win the Vezina at the end of the season?
There is a chance that a recent lower-body injury that has sidelined Hill since mid-December has had an impact on his odds — especially since it wasn't even the first injury he sustained this season. And over roughly his most recent stint away from the ice, Hellebuyck has gone undefeated while Demko has won four out of five starts.
However, Hill still looks better on paper upon his return between the pipes. He still has the best goals-against percentage (1.93) and second-best save percentage (.933). His biggest competition in those areas is fellow former San Jose Sharks netminder Martin Jones, who has been stellar for the Toronto Maple Leafs but has only started 12 games.
Hill's odds could also be indicative of how the Golden Knights are playing as of late. The defending Cup champs, who have been hit with their fair share of injuries this season, went 3-7-0 in Hill's recent absence. During that same stretch, Hellebuyck's Jets won seven straight and Demko's Canucks took over the Pacific Division with a 7-2-1 run.
The big question now is how much Hill's odds will be impacted by his return to action. The Golden Knights have some stiff competition through the end of January, facing some of the big guns across the league including the Boston Bruins and the Colorado Avalanche.
If Hill starts and gets wins for Vegas through the end of this month, his odds of winning the Vezina are sure to shorten.
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