2026 NHL Calder Trophy Odds Tracker

Updated: September 25, 2025 at 12:34 am EDT

Which rookies are expected to challenge for the Calder Trophy in 2025-2026?
Montreal Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov is the heavy favorite to win the 2026 Calder Trophy
Track which rookies are trending up and which are trending down during the 2025-26 NHL campaign

The Calder Trophy is presented annually to the NHL rookie who is deemed to be the most proficient among first-year players. To be eligible for the Calder, a player cannot have played more than 25 games in any single preceding professional season.

Montreal could make history with back-to-back Calder winners. After Lane Hutson’s dominant 2024-25 campaign, Ivan Demidov has emerged as the early favorite. With a clear frontrunner this season, betting value emerges further down the board.

We’ll be tracking the Calder Trophy odds for the NHL’s best rookies at online sportsbooks all season long. Check the graphs below to see the odds for the top NHL rookies and how they fluctuate throughout the season.

2026 Calder Trophy Odds

NHL Calder odds are updated every 15-30 minutes from top sportsbooks, including FanDuel, BetMGM & DraftKings. Claim the FanDuel promo code to start betting on the NHL.

Montreal Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov is the clear favorite at +185, giving him roughly 35% implied win probability. Michael Misa follows at +1200 (7.7% implied chance), with Zeev Buium and Jimmy Snuggerud both at +1600. Goaltender Yaroslav Askarov offers intriguing value at +2500.

Odds for Top Calder Trophy Contenders

Top 5 Top 10 All

Here are some notes on the movement for the 2026 Calder odds:

[Sept 1]: Preseason Calder odds have Montreal’s Ivan Demidov (+175) as the favorite, with San Jose’s Michael Misa (+1200), Minnesota’s Zeev Buium (+1600), and St. Louis’ Jimmy Snuggerud (+1600) as the top challengers.

Notable Calder Trends

Montreal could become the first team with back-to-back Calder winners since the 1968-69 Bruins (Bobby Orr & Derek Sanderson).
Defensemen have won three of the past six Calders (Makar 2020, Seider 2022, Hutson 2025), showing the position bias has largely disappeared.
No goalie has won the Calder since Steve Mason (Columbus) in 2009; Yaroslav Askarov could break that drought.

Past 10 Calder Trophy Winners

Year	Winner
2025	Lane Hutson (D, Canadiens)
2024	Connor Bedard (F, Blackhawks)
2023	Matty Beniers (F, Kraken)
2022	Moritz Seider (D, Red Wings)
2021	Kirill Kaprizov (F, Wild)
2020	Cale Makar (D, Avalanche)
2019	Elias Pettersson (F, Canucks)
2018	Mathew Barzal (F, Islander)
2017	Auston Matthews (F, Leafs)
2016	Artemi Panarin (F, Blackhawks)

Top Calder Trophy Candidates

Ivan Demidov – Montreal Canadiens (+185)

The 19-year-old winger enters the NHL with massive expectations after breaking Kirill Kaprizov’s KHL record for most points by an under-20 player (49 points in 65 games). Demidov already showed he belongs with two points in two regular-season games and two assists in five playoff games last spring.

Playing alongside Patrick Laine and getting first power-play minutes gives Demidov every opportunity to succeed. Montreal fans are dreaming of consecutive Calder winners after Hutson’s triumph.

Michael Misa – San Jose Sharks (+1200)

The second overall pick from the 2025 draft brings championship pedigree after captaining Saginaw to an OHL title. Misa became the first Spirit player to win the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s most outstanding player.

If he makes San Jose’s roster out of camp, he’ll join Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith to form one of the league’s most exciting young cores. The Sharks need offense, and Misa could provide it immediately.

Zeev Buium – Minnesota Wild (+1600)

The 19-year-old defenseman dominated college hockey with 48 points in 41 games at Denver, finishing as a Hobey Baker finalist. Buium already got his feet wet with NHL playoff experience last spring.

Minnesota’s system has developed young defensemen well, and Buium could follow the path of recent defensive Calder winners like Moritz Seider and Lane Hutson.

Alexander Nikishin – Carolina Hurricanes (+2000)

The 23-year-old Russian brings more professional experience than any other rookie. As SKA St. Petersburg’s captain, Nikishin became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer among defensemen with 177 points in 288 KHL games.

At 6-foot-4 and 216 pounds, Nikishin offers size and physicality that Carolina’s blue line needs. He made his NHL debut in last year’s playoffs and impressed coach Rod Brind’Amour.

Yaroslav Askarov – San Jose Sharks (+2500)

The goaltending prospect could break a 17-year drought since a netminder last won the Calder. Askarov dominated the AHL with a .939 save percentage and looks ready for a starting role with San Jose.

Playing behind a rebuilding team might hurt his win totals, but Askarov’s talent is undeniable. If he posts strong numbers on a surprising Sharks team, he could be this year’s dark horse.

Archived Calder Trophy Odds:

Brady Trettenero

Lead NHL & NCAAF Editor

Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.

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