Matthews overtakes McDavid as 'Rocket' Richard favorite after 1 game
Auston Matthews overtook Connor McDavid as the favorite to lead the NHL in goals after his hat trick performance against the Canadiens on Wednesday night.
Matthews is now +250 to McDavid's +260 to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy at theScore Bet with 81 games remaining on the schedule. Prior to Wednesday's slate of games, McDavid was +200, and Matthews was +350.
| Player | Odds Oct. 11 (Implied prob.) | Odds Oct. 12 (Implied prob.) |
|---|---|---|
| McDavid | +200 (33.3%) | +260 (27.8%) |
| Matthews | +350 (22.2%) | +250 (28.6%) |
Odds via theScore Bet
McDavid and his Oilers were also in action on Wednesday but were blown out 8-1 by the Canucks. McDavid assisted on Leon Draisaitl's lone goal for the Oilers.
Now, is one game enough to warrant this type of reaction? Probably not. But Matthews is essentially getting a three-goal head start on McDavid for the remainder of the season.
If McDavid doesn't replicate his 64-goal season from last year, Matthews' three goals from Wednesday could prove to be the difference.
| Season | Matthews goals | McDavid goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 40 | 30 |
| 2017-18 | 34 | 41 |
| 2018-19 | 37 | 41 |
| 2019-20 | 47 | 34 |
| 2020-21 | 41 | 33 |
| 2021-22 | 60 | 44 |
| 2022-23 | 40 | 64 |
For the first five seasons of Matthews' career, 13 goals was the most the two were separated by. Either Matthews or McDavid has led the league in goals each of the past three seasons.
Meanwhile, the Canucks' Brock Boeser, who potted four goals on McDavid's Oilers Wednesday, wasn't even listed as a betting option to win the "Rocket" Richard Trophy prior to the season. He's now +2500 as the 10th favorite on the oddsboard.