Nathan MacKinnon's 53 goals netted him his first career Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy, beating out Cole Caufield.
It's no surprise both players sit atop the Rocket Richard odds for the 2026-27 season, with Leon Draisaitl also in the mix.
Here are the latest NHL odds for who will lead the league in goals.
Odds to win the Rocket Richard Trophy
| Player |  |
|---|---|
 Nathan MacKinnon |
+475 |
 Cole Caufield |
+550 |
 Leon Draisaitl |
+550 |
 Kirill Kaprizov |
+850 |
 Auston Matthews |
+900 |
 Macklin Celebrini |
+950 |
 Jason Robertson |
+950 |
| Connor McDavid |
+1400 |
| Wyatt Johnston |
+1600 |
 Nikita Kucherov |
+1600 |
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When you win an award the prior season, books quickly label you the favorite. Nathan MacKinnon (+475) is slightly ahead of Caufield and Draisaitl (+550), while four other players have odds shorter than +1000.
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Rocket Richard Trophy futures prediction
| Prediction | Odds | Prediction date | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cole Caufield |
+550 | Sept. 16 | 1 |
If you read our Stanley Cup odds, you know how high I am on the Montreal Canadiens.
I think Caufield could challenge for 60 goals. He plays on the top line with Nick Suzuki and on a power-play unit quarterbacked by Lane Hutson.
After losing out to MacKinnon last year, Caufield will break through in 2027.
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How NHL Rocket Richard odds work
Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. When the regular season is nearly finished and a consensus has emerged, you might see a player with a minus sign (-) ahead of his odds, like this:
- Nathan MacKinnon -300
The (-) means that MacKinnon is the odds-on favorite, and a bettor would need to wager $300 to win $100. Other contenders in the Rocket Richard race might have plus (+) odds to win.
- Connor McDavid +450
Here, a bettor stood to profit $450 for every $100 wagered on McDavid to lead the league in goals.
If American odds aren't your thing, simply use a tool like our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.
Popular NHL futures markets
NHL Rocket Richard trends
- The Rocket Richard winner has only won the Hart Trophy in the same season six times. Alex Ovechkin did it three times.
- No defenseman has ever won the Rocket Richard Trophy.
- Alex Ovechkin has won the Rocket Richard Trophy a record nine times.
NHL Rocket Richard history
A quick look at recent Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy winners, the number of goals they scored, and opening odds according to SportsOddsHistory.
| Season | Player | Total goals | Opening odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Nathan MacKinnon |
53 | +2200 |
| 2024-25 | Leon Draisaitl |
52 | +800 |
| 2023-24 | Auston Matthews |
69 | +300 |
| 2022-23 | Connor McDavid |
64 | +1200 |
| 2021-22 | Auston Matthews |
60 | +350 |
| 2020-21 | Auston Matthews |
41 | +450 |
| 2019-20 |  Alexander Ovechkin/ David Pastrnak |
48 | +550/+1600 |
| 2018-19 | Alexander Ovechkin |
51 | +650 |
| 2017-18 | Alexander Ovechkin |
49 | +500 |
| 2016-17 |  Sidney Crosby |
44 | +1400 |
Rocket Richard Trophy Odds FAQs
Nathan MacKinnon has the best odds at +475.
Nathan MacKinnon scored 53 goals to win last year.
Alexander Ovechkin has won the award nine times.
It is awarded at the end of the regular season to the player with the most goals.
