Betting on NHL Props - Is the Vezina coming to Russia?

At the outset of the 2008-2009 season, sharp NHL betting fans essentially narrowed the Vezina Trophy race down to three netminders: Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo and Evgeni Nabokov. Both Brodeur and Luongo have been considered the de facto best goaltenders alive since 2000, and nothing other than injuries could change that.

Well, oddly enough, both of the premiere puckstoppers went down with serious injuries at roughly the same time, leaving Nabokov as the only pre-season favorite still realistically in contention. Many argued that the Russian backstop deserved to be awarded the honors last season, however Brodeur took home the hardware once more. This season however, all is going exactly as planned for Nabokov, and the San Jose Sharks in general.

After years of failing to meet expectations under Ron Wilson, it appears that new bench boss Todd MacLellan is the answer to their problems. MacLellan has seemingly changed the culture in the locker room, and the on-ice strategy to that of a more free-wheeling squad. The one thing MacLellan hasn't changed from the Wilson era is the heavy dependency on Nabokov, which aids his chances in taking home goaltender of the year honors. The 33-year old was an astonishing 15-2-1 at press time, aiding the Sharks to the top of the NHL's overall standings. When the sports betting lines are releaded, “Nabby” will be a big favorite.

There's no shortage of Vezina underdogs this season, however—the most prominent of which is Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins. While league executives may have left him off the All-Star ballot, sports betting sharps and oddmakers won't be leaving him off NHL futures lines this winter.

While hockey purists see him as nothing more than an acrobat—someone who gets lucky more often than not—there's no denying that Thomas' unorthodox style is incredibly effective this season. The Beantown goaltender sits atop or near the top of every major category, after being told he wasn't good enough for the NHL four years ago. Showing your belief in Thomas this season may prove to be a very profitable decision!

For those looking for value, there is still a good chance that Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers could sneak into the running for 'tender of the year. In addition, new faces such as Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens and Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres could have an outside chance of nomination at the end of the season.

In the end, the best bet if you're looking for a strong contender, and good value, is on Tim Thomas. Head over to the BetUS Sportsbook hockey props section and lay it down on the B's netminder!