Now that we have actually taken a look at a few of the leading teams in the league and my four favorite NHL groups to win the Stanley Cup and their conferences, it is time to dig into the NHL awards. I definitely like these markets, specifically rookie of the year (the Calder). Today we will break down 2 of the 4 awards which I think have the most worth and variation season over season. We'll look at my preferred pick for these awards and a runner up.

With puck drop simply around the corner it is time to lock in some NHL future bets to provide you something to root for all season. And do not forget, Betting News will be dropping sharp NHL gamer props, video 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 solve.

Make certain to keep you eyes out for more NHL future bets pieces here at Betting News. In the next couple weeks we will highlight whatever from NHL awards, group point overalls and player props in the Betting News NHL future bet series.

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 marketplace has Demidov as the early, fairly heavy favorite after a buzzy late-season launching (objective + assist in his first NHL video game, power-play usage in the playoffs) and he'll now spend a complete season riding shotgun with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield on scoring lines and power play systems. Montreal just produced last year's Calder winner (Lane Hutson), and Demidov's skill set fits cleanly into a top-six role that must yield immediate points-exactly what citizens reward.

Top Offensive Instincts: Demidov lit up the KHL before coming by to the NHL late last season. This is a special player who only fell in the 2024 NHL draft due to the fact that of his citizenship and the unknowns of Russian player's willingness to come to The United States and Canada. Demidov had 19 goals and 49 points in his first full season in the KHL, showing he can currently have fun with males. He might be the most ready to bet the caliber of players in the NHL out of all the novices, making him an excellent NHL futures bet.

Roster context that assists: Habs' depth chart points to Demidov getting genuine power-play time on a team that's trending up after last spring's playoff push; a 60-point novice year is within reach if deployment sticks. While Montreal just had the 17th most goals for per game played, this is a number that could sky rocket with more depth. Demidov assists this group's scoring go deeper down the lineup, meaning he might not constantly see the oppositions top defensemen.

A Tricky Option: Zayne Parekh (Flames) +1200.

Calgary's 2024 ninth-overall pick is an offending defenseman who scored 107 points in 61 OHL games in 2015 and even scored in his NHL debut. If he lands PP1 over time, he has the toolkit to increase counting statistics as a rookie blueliner-excellent long-odds equity. Parekh has the type of eye popping offending skills that are reminiscent of Erik Karlsson or last winner Lane Hutson.

2. Norris Trophy (top defenseman): Cale Makar +150 on BetOnline:

Cale Makar is the finest defenseman in the NHL, and seeks to show it once again

Why it's a strong bet: Makar just won the 2025 Norris in a landslide after a historical 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 consistently. Even with Colorado's forward group reshuffling after Mikko Rantanen's departure, Makar remains stapled to Nathan MacKinnon on PP1 and will again chew big minutes with Devon Toews-the volume and function are as bankable as it gets. Market-wise, books are still pricing him as a clear favorite in the +150 area; short, yes, but was worthy of offered the profile and repeat capacity, making him a top NHL futures best choice.

Roster context that helps: Colorado still projects a crammed PP1 (MacKinnon-Nichushkin-Necas with Makar up leading), 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 usually means "the top scoring defenseman" and Colorado ranked 3rd in objectives for per video game played and had the 7th best power play. This all bodes well for Makar to install big numbers once again.

The Avalanche look a bit deeper on paper this season. Yes they lost Rantanen, today Necas will have a full season on the group and they get their captain Landeskog back. Plus the addition of Brock Nelson as a true 2nd line center will cause match fits for other teams.

The Honorable Mention: Zach Werenski (Blue Jackets) +1200

Werenski completed second in voting last year and posted 23-59-82 while leading NHL defensemen in ice time and stacking up 298 SOG-if Columbus takes another action, he has the stat line and narrative to disturb the favorites at a juicier rate. Now heaven Jackets are an extremely young team, and could take an action back from the 7th ranked group for objectives for per game. But they are packed with young players who could simply as quickly take another advance. If this offense can keep clicking then Werenski has an avenue to end up as the leading scoring defenseman, making this long shot an NHL futures best bet.