Rocket Richard trophy article

Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire

Author: Anthony Vlahovic

Last Updated: 11 June, 2025

2024-25 NHL Rocket Richard Trophy Odds

Hockey fans love scoring, and there are quite a few players in the league who produce goals at a jaw-dropping rate. Players like Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, and David Pastrnak set off the goal horn more than most players could imagine. As a result, they are in constant competition for the Rocket Richard Trophy, which goes to the leading goal-scorer each year.

In the 2023-24 season, Matthews hoisted the Rocket Richard Trophy for the third time in his career, but with a slow start and an injury, he was unable to make his way back up the odds board. Instead, Leon Draisaitl was able to separate himself as the favorite and become the league leader in goals, despite playing only 71 games. Down below, we'll keep NHL betting fans up to date on all odds movements for this award throughout the 2025-26 season once those odds are released.

2024-25 Rocket Richard Trophy Odds Breakdown

Player

Opening odds

Jan. odds

Apr. odds

Auston Matthews

-125

+1700

+25000

David Pastrnak

+550

+6000

+7500

Leon Draisaitl

+750

-295

-1600

Kirill Kaprizov

+750

+3000

OTB

Brayden Point

+2500

+1100

+6000

Sam Reinhart

+6600

+1000

+2600

Kyle Connor

+10000

+2000

+3300

William Nylander

+10000

+850

+2600

Alex Ovechkin

+10000

+6000

+8000

Mark Scheifele

+25000

+2200

+2500

2024-25 Rocket Richard Winner - Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers)

With Connor McDavid having to miss time with an ankle injury, the Oilers needed to rely heavily on Draisaitl to produce much of their scoring. Draisaitl answered that call when McDavid was on the shelf, and he continued his impressive scoring pace even when McDavid returned to the lineup. By putting away 52 goals in 71 games, seven goals more than the closest challenger, William Nylander, Draisaitl set an NHL record for the most games missed in a season by the Rocket Richard winner, with 11 games missed.

NHL top goal scorers of the 2024-25 regular season

  1. Leon Draisaitl: 52 goals

  2. William Nylander: 45

  3. Alex Ovechkin: 44

  4. Tage Thompson: 44

  5. David Pastrnak: 43

  6. Brayden Point: 42

  7. Jake Guentzel: 41

  8. Kyle Connor: 41

  9. Mark Scheifele: 39

  10. Sam Reinhart: 39

Dissecting Leon Draisaitl's Rocket Richard Season

Draisaitl's stat

Rank

Contenders' stats

52 goals

1st

William Nylander (45)

31.4 expected goals

19th

Auston Matthews (41.1) [1st]

36 even strength goals

2nd

Tage Thompson (37) [1st]

16 power-play goals

2nd

Jake Guentzel (17) [1st]

15 wrist shot goals

38th

Nazem Kadri (28) [1st]

23 snap shot goals

1st

Seth Jarvis (18)

4 slap shot goals

33th

Kevin Fiala (11) [1st]

6 backhand goals

5th

Brayden Point (8) [1st]

2 goals tipped

141th

Alex Tuch (12) [1st]

1 goals deflected

82th

Will Cuylle (4) [1st]

417 shot attempts

53rd

Zach Werenski (638) [1st]

240 shots on goal

20th

Nathan MacKinnon (320) [1st]

21.7% shooting percentage

3rd*

Brayden Point (22.2%) [1st]

62 power-play shots

15th

Brady Tkachuk (79) [1st]

72 wrist shots

163th

Nathan MacKinnon (198) [1st]

116 snap shots

1st

Cole Caufield (103)

14 slap shots

187th

Evan Bouchard (106) [1st]

23 backhand shots

26th

Anders Lee (37) [1st]

9 shots tipped

227th

Anders Lee (42) [1st]

4 shots deflected

103rd

Anders Lee (15) [1st]

* Leon Draisaitl ranked 3rd in shooting percentage among all players with +100 recorded shots in the 2024-25 regular season. From this group of players, the shooting percentage leader, Brayden Point (22.2%), recorded a total of 189 shots throughout the season.

Past Rocket Richard Trophy Winners & Odds

Season

Player (Goals)

Team

Opening odds

2024-25

Leon Draisaitl (52)

Edmonton Oilers

+750

2023-24

Auston Matthews (69)

Toronto Maple Leafs

+300

2022-23

Connor McDavid (64)

Edmonton Oilers

+1200

2021-22

Auston Matthews (60)

Toronto Maple Leafs

+350

2020-21

Auston Matthews (41)

Toronto Maple Leafs

+450

2019-20

Alexander Ovechkin & David Pastrnak (48)

Washington Capitals & Boston Bruins

+550 & +1600

2018-19

Alexander Ovechkin (51)

Washington Capitals

+650

2017-18

Alexander Ovechkin (49)

Washington Capitals

+500

2016-17

Sidney Crosby (44)

Pittsburgh Penguins

+1400

Power Play Prowess: How PP1 Usage Skews Richard Trophy Value

Shooting percentage and past goal totals are only half of the equation when it comes to finding value in the Rocket Rochard Trophy market. Sure, ice time is a part of the equation as well, but sometimes an overlooked aspect of the handicapping process is power play opportunity, more specifically, PP1 usage. 

Power-play goals go a long way in helping a player separate themselves in the race for the most goals, so being on the ice during the man advantage is extremely valuable to both players and the bettors who are backing them. There are plenty of scoring threats around the league that end up on PP2 due to deeper rosters or to keep more balance in the units, and that subtle drop in volume could be the difference in staying alive in this race.

Players with substantial 5-on-5 shooting numbers may look appealing, but if they are only getting partial PP1 usage, they will be more of a pretender. Take Nikita Kucherov, for example, when the 2024-25 season started, Kucherov got off to a hot start and was surging up the odds board after opening at (+3000). However, Kucherov was primarily on the PP2 unit, leading to eight power-play goals, as opposed to the 16 that award-winner Leon Draisaitl had.

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vlaho
Editor: Anthony Vlahovic

A former professional baseball player who has had his finger on the pulse of sports betting since 2016.

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