Matthews clear-cut favorite to win 'Rocket' after 1st to reach 25 goals
Auston Matthews is the clear-cut favorite to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy after the Maple Leafs sniper became the first to reach 25 goals this season on Tuesday night.
Matthews is even money to lead the NHL in goals based on betting odds at theScore Bet, which equates to an implied probability of 50%.
"Rocket" Richard Trophy odds
| Player | Odds | 2023 Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Auston Matthews | +100 | 25 |
| David Pastrnak | +360 | 19 |
| Nikita Kucherov | +650 | 22 |
| Connor McDavid | +900 | 11 |
| Brock Boeser | +1200 | 23 |
| Leon Draisaitl | +1400 | 13 |
| Artemi Panarin | +3000 | 17 |
| Mikko Rantanen | +3000 | 15 |
| Sam Reinhart | +4000 | 18 |
Matthews' outing against the Rangers was his third straight two-goal contest, extending his scoring streak to five games. He has 11 goals in his last seven contests and is on pace to reach 60 goals for the second time in his career.
Brock Boeser is only two goals behind Matthews but is much further down the bettingboard. At +1200, Boeser is only given a 7.7% implied probability of catching Matthews.
David Pastrnak is Matthews' stiffest competition, according to the odds. Pastrnak potted a career-high 61 goals last season, but he'll have to find another gear if he's going to match that total. He's on pace to score 51.
Despite only having 11 goals in 27 games, oddsmakers are giving Connor McDavid plenty of respect at +900. McDavid won the "Rocket" last season with 64 tallies.