Now that we have looked at some of the top teams in the league and my four favorite NHL teams to win the Stanley Cup and their conferences, it is time to dig into the NHL awards. I absolutely love these markets, specifically rookie of the year (the Calder). Today we will break down two of the four awards which I believe have the most value and disparity season over season. We’ll look at my favorite pick for these awards and a runner up.
With puck drop just around the corner it is time to lock in some NHL future bets to give you something to root for all season. And don’t forget, Betting News will be dropping sharp NHL player props, game scripts and bets to keep your bankroll rolling for the entire NHL season. But first, let’s dissect the upcoming 2025-2026 NHL season, and see how much of the script we can get right.
Be sure to keep you eyes out for more NHL future bets pieces here at Betting News. In the next couple weeks we will highlight everything from NHL awards, team point totals and player props in the Betting News NHL future bet series.
Betting Odds
Odds via BetOnline, an industry leader in the sports betting world.
1. Calder Trophy (top rookie): Ivan Demidov +200 on BetOnline:
Ivan Demidov of the Montreal Canadiens has the toolset to win the Calder
Why it’s a strong bet: The market has Demidov as the early, fairly heavy favorite after a buzzy late-season debut (goal + assist in his first NHL game, power-play usage in the playoffs) and he’ll now spend a full season riding shotgun with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield on scoring lines and power play units. Montreal just produced last year’s Calder winner (Lane Hutson), and Demidov’s skill set fits cleanly into a top-six role that should yield immediate points—exactly what voters reward.
Top Offensive Instincts: Demidov lit up the KHL before coming over to the NHL late last season. This is a special player who only fell in the 2024 NHL draft because of his nationality and the unknowns of Russian player’s willingness to come to North America. Demidov had 19 goals and 49 points in his first full season in the KHL, proving he can already play with men. He may be the most prepared to play against the caliber of players in the NHL out of all the rookies, making him a great NHL futures bet.
Roster context that helps: Habs’ depth chart points to Demidov getting real power-play time on a team that’s trending up after last spring’s playoff push; a 60-point rookie year is within reach if deployment sticks. While Montreal only had the 17th most goals for per game played, this is a number that could sky rocket with more depth. Demidov helps this team’s scoring go deeper down the lineup, meaning he may not always see the oppositions top defensemen.
A Sneaky Option: Zayne Parekh (Flames) +1200.
Calgary’s 2024 ninth-overall pick is an offensive defenseman who scored 107 points in 61 OHL games last year and even scored in his NHL debut. If he lands PP1 over time, he has the toolkit to spike counting stats as a rookie blueliner—excellent long-odds equity. Parekh has the type of eye popping offensive skills that are reminiscent of Erik Karlsson or last year’s Calder winner Lane Hutson.
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2. Norris Trophy (top defenseman): Cale Makar +150 on BetOnline:
Cale Makar is the best defenseman in the NHL, and looks to prove it once again
Why it’s a strong bet: Makar just won the 2025 Norris in a landslide after a historic 30-goal, 92-point season—he led all defensemen in goals, assists and points, and opened the year with a 13-game point streak. That blend of elite 5-on-5 impact and power-play usage is exactly what wins this award repeatedly. Even with Colorado’s forward group reshuffling after Mikko Rantanen’s departure, Makar remains stapled to Nathan MacKinnon on PP1 and will again chew huge minutes with Devon Toews—the volume and role are as bankable as it gets. Market-wise, books are still pricing him as a clear favorite in the +150 neighborhood; short, yes, but deserved given the profile and repeat potential, making him a top NHL futures best bet.
Roster context that helps: Colorado still projects a loaded PP1 (MacKinnon–Nichushkin–Necas with Makar up top), and Bednar leans hard on Makar in all situations. That keeps the counting stats (and the “best defenseman” eye test) flowing. We know that the Norris award generally means “the top scoring defenseman” and Colorado ranked 3rd in goals for per game played and had the 7th best power play. This all bodes well for Makar to put up big numbers once again.
The Avalanche look a bit deeper on paper this season. Yes they lost Rantanen, but now Necas will have a full season on the team and they get their captain Landeskog back. Plus the addition of Brock Nelson as a true second line center will cause matchup fits for other teams.
The Honorable Mention: Zach Werenski (Blue Jackets) +1200
Werenski finished 2nd in voting last year and posted 23-59-82 while leading NHL defensemen in ice time and piling up 298 SOG—if Columbus takes another step, he has the stat line and narrative to upset the favorites at a juicier price. Now the Blue Jackets are a very young team, and could take a step back from the 7th ranked team for goals for per game. But they are loaded with young players who could just as easily take another step forward. If this offense can keep clicking then Werenski has an avenue to finish as the top scoring defenseman, making this long shot an NHL futures best bet.
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