Opening 2024 Calder Trophy Odds – Connor Bedard the Clear Favorite

• Calder Trophy odds for the 2023-24 NHL season have been released
• Not surprisingly, Connor Bedard is a huge favorite, at -110, to win Rookie of the Year
• Read more below for opening 2024 Calder Trophy odds, smart picks and best bet

As big a favorite as Connor McDavid is to win the 2024 Hart Trophy, his incoming namesake, Connor Bedard, owns even shorter odds to be crowned the NHL’s Rookie of the Year next season.

After tearing up the WHL and breaking numerous records while leading Canada to gold at the World Junior Hockey Championships, there was no doubt that the number one overall pick would be the chalk in the 2024 Calder Trophy odds, but at -110, there’s not a lot of bang for your buck with the phenom.

Are there any other legitimate contenders out there worth sprinkling some cash on? We’ll break down Bedard’s value as well as spotlight some other contenders in the Calder Trophy odds below, who might just surprise and be a better pick.

2024 Calder Trophy Odds

Odds as of July 26th at FanDuel Sportsbook. Claim a FanDuel promo code to bet on the Calder Trophy. 

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In the last four seasons, the Calder Trophy has been won two times apiece by forwards and defensemen. To find the last time a goalie won it, you’d have to go back to Steven Mason in 2009, so although there are a couple of netminders listed in the table above, our advice is to stick with the skaters and we begin with Bedard.

Generation Talent Bedard a Huge Favorite in Calder Trophy Odds

Most of the money will be on the Blackhawks’ potential savior to be given best freshman honors and who can argue? Bedard has surpassed every test that has been thrown his way and finished with 71 goals and 143 points in just 57 games in his final junior season.

However, if you look at the last four players dubbed “generational talents” by the media, only one captured the Calder Trophy and that was Mario Lemieux back in 1985.

Calder Trophy Finishes for Recent “Generational Players”

For anybody that has watched him play, there’s no reason to dissect why Bedard is such a huge favorite to win the trophy, but at such heavy odds, an injury could easily knock him out of the running. Both Connor McDavid and Eric Lindros missed substantial time during their rookie season.

While The Big E likely wouldn’t have won the award anyway after Teemu Selanne delivered the best freshman season in NHL history, scoring 76 goals, McDavid would’ve had a great chance to wrestle the trophy away from Panarin if he hadn’t missed half the season in his rookie campaign.

Other Contenders and Longshots in Calder Odds

Surrounded by fellow Michigan alumni, Zach Werenski and Kent Johnson, 3rd overall pick, Adam Fantilli should have no problem adjusting to the NHL life in Columbus. As a freshman, he led all NCAA players with 65 points (30 goals, 35 assists) in 36 games and won the Hobey Baker Award last year.

Some might think he’ll find NHL life difficult under stern coach Mike Babcock, remember, the first-year bench boss in Columbus was Auston Matthews’ coach when he won the Calder and also helped develop Mitch Marner and William Nylander into the players they are today.

D-1 NCAA points leaders this season:

65 — Adam Fantilli
60 — Logan Cooley
59 — Colin Graf
53 — Sean Farrell
50 — Jimmy Snuggerud

Oh yeah, and he lead the NCAA in +/- … and he missed time for WJC… and he's only a couple months older than 2023 prospects pic.twitter.com/1drgSvVXnQ

— Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) July 26, 2023

While we’re on the subject of Maple Leafs, don’t sleep on Matthew Knies. Only an injury knocked him out of the Leafs’ playoff lineup after he showed coach Sheldon Keefe that he deserved a regular spot in the squad.

With Nylander’s status with Toronto up in the air, Knies could see a lot of playing time with Matthews, Marner or both and if you’re playing with that kind of talent, you’ll be racking up the points.

Finally, there is a former college linemate of Knies that has to be considered. Logan Cooley was expected to go back to the University of Minnesota for one more season, but it now appears as if he’s on the cusp of signing an entry-level deal with the Coyotes.

Per source, there is momentum toward Logan Cooley signing his ELC to play for the Coyotes this season.

Cooley previously announced that he'd return to Minnesota for his sophomore season but he left the door open in this Q&A that I conducted with him.https://t.co/8IZCYKorhc

— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) July 26, 2023

Only Bedard notched more points than the 14 the Pittsburgh native managed at the World Junior tournament. Granted, Arizona will not be a contender in the Stanley Cup odds, but it’s not difficult to imagine Cooley getting time on the first power play unit and perhaps centering the top line with Clayton Keller who managed 86 points last year.

If it was just a matter of picking your winner, undoubtedly, my vote would go to Bedard, but at +2500, the better bang for your buck is to take your chances 3rd overall pick from the 2022 draft.

Pick: Logan Cooley (+2500)