Sharks Teammates Burns, Karlsson Have Best Odds to Win 2020 Norris Trophy
- Sharks defensemen Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson and the top-two 2020 Norris Trophy favorites
- Burns won the award in 2017, while Karlsson is a two-time winner (2012 & 2015)
- Morgan Reilly is an intriguing long shot at +3000
The San Jose Sharks roster features two of the NHL’s premier defensemen and that isn’t going to change anytime soon. Both Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson are under contract in San Jose until at least 2025 and both are front runners for the 2020 Norris trophy.
2020 Norris Trophy Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Brent Burns (Sharks) | +450 |
| Erik Karlsson (Sharks) | +600 |
| Victor Hedman (Lightning) | +650 |
| P.K. Subban (Devils) | +1100 |
| Mark Giordano (Flames) | +1200 |
| Drew Doughty (Kings) | +1400 |
| John Klingberg (Stars) | +1400 |
| John Carlson (Capitals) | +1800 |
| Alex Pietrangelo (Blues) | +2000 |
| Kris Letang (Penguins) | +2000 |
| Seth Jones (Blue Jackets) | +2000 |
| Tyson Barrie (Leafs) | +2000 |
| Zach Werenski (Blue Jackets) | +2000 |
| Roman Josi (Predators) | +2500 |
| Torey Krug (Bruins) | +2500 |
| Morgan Rielly (Leafs) | +3000 |
Odds taken on 09/17/19.
Burns, the 2017 recipient, has the shortest 2020 Norris Trophy odds, followed closely by two-time winner Karlsson and 2018 recipient Victor Hedman of the Lightning.
Only 13 defensemen in NHL history have won the award multiple times, and Karlsson is looking to become just the ninth three-time winner.
The Case for Karlsson
A groin injury during the 2018-19 season limited Karlsson’s production, but he still managed to put up 45 points in 53 games. He was one of just eight defensemen to average at least 0.85 points per outing and he was dominant in the playoffs before the same groin injury ended his postseason early.
Erik Karlsson scores his second goal to win Game 3 for the Sharks in overtime: https://t.co/qRZRVv08Zh pic.twitter.com/mXXTHDBPJi
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) May 16, 2019
Not only has he won the Norris Trophy twice, but he’s also been a finalist on multiple occasions. Assuming he stays healthy, he’ll definitely be in contention, but he’s nowhere near as enticing as his teammate.
Bet on Burns?
Burns was the only defensemen last season to average at least a point per game (1.01) and has legitimate 30-goal upside. He’s out-produced Karlsson offensively in three straight seasons and is a much bigger contributor in his own end.
Brent Burns wins it in OT with a beauty goal pic.twitter.com/3llbMjeB6x
— Bar South N Celly™ (@BarSouthNCelly) February 3, 2019
He nearly doubled his teammate in blocked shots, plus/minus, and hits, and he’s finished top-two in scoring among defensemen in five straight seasons. There’s no better bet to be a Norris Trophy finalist next season, but if you’re looking for a player with longer odds to back, consider the Maple Leafs’ number-one blue liner.
Rielly is a Steal
Morgan Rielly emerged as an elite defensemen last season and is poised for even more production in 2019-20. He led all d-men with 20 goals and had a better plus/minus than Karlsson and Burns combined.
Morgan Rielly makes the post sing on this goal.
?: @MapleLeafs pic.twitter.com/BQMhqd837e
— Yahoo Sports Canada (@YahooCASports) November 4, 2018
He was top-five in Norris voting a season ago, and is way underpriced at +3000, tied for the 16th-longest odds on the board. He’ll quarterback one of the best power play units in the league and will rack up a ton of points simply by feeding stars like Tavares, Matthews, and Marner.
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
