2021 Norris Trophy Odds Tracker
- Who are the top contenders for the 2021 NHL Norris Trophy?
- Cale Makar is the current favorite to win this year’s Norris Trophy
- Track and with a player’s odds as they get longer and shorter throughout the 2020-21 NHL season
The James Norris Memorial Trophy (known as the Norris Trophy) is given every year to the defenseman that exhibits the best all-around ability at his position.
We’ll be tracking odds on the top Norris Candidates available at sportsbooks all season long, providing you with comprehensive coverage on how futures odds fluctuate for different defensemen around the league.
Odds for 2021 Norris Trophy Favorites
- [Feb 23]: Avalanche’s Cale Makar is the new favorite to win the 2021 Norris Trophy. Makar’s odds have dropped from +600 to +200.
- [Feb 1]: She Theodore has emerged as one of the betting favorites with seven points (3 G, 4 A) through seven games. Theodore’s average odds have shortened from +2200 to +925.
- [Dec 30]: Victor Hedman’s average odds have increased and is now the favorite at +500. Roman Josi remains close behind with average odds of +550.
- [Nov 16]: Roman Josi has opened as a +500 favorite to win the 2021 Norris Trophy. Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson opening odds are listed at +500.
2021 Norris Trophy Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Cale Makar (Avalanche) | +200 |
| Victor Hedman (Lightning) | +600 |
| John Carlson (Capitals) | +1000 |
| Shea Theodore (Golden Knights) | +1000 |
| Alex Pietrangelo (Golden Knights) | +1200 |
| Quinn Hughes (Canucks) | +1200 |
| Dougie Hamilton (Hurricanes) | +1400 |
| Jeff Petry (Canadiens) | +1400 |
| Samuel Girard (Avalanche) | +1400 |
| Charlie McAvoy (Bruins) | +1500 |
| Roman Josi (Predators) | +1900 |
| Erik Karlsson (Sharks) | +2000 |
| John Klingberg (Stars) | +2000 |
| Morgan Rielly (Leafs) | +2000 |
| Seth Jones (Blue Jackets) | +2000 |
| Miro Heiskanen (Stars) | +2000 |
| Thomas Chabot (Senators) | +2000 |
| Tyson Barrie (Oilers) | +2000 |
| Zach Werenski (Blue Jackets) | +2000 |
| Torey Krug (Blues) | +2000 |
Odds taken Feb. 23
NHL Norris Trophy Trends to Consider
- It’s essential that a defenseman not miss anytime to injury. In the last 10 years, the most games missed by a Norris Trophy winner was six, when PK Subban sat out the first games of the 2012-2013 season in a contract holdout.
- Players essentially need to be on playoff teams to win the Norris. No player has ever won the Norris on a non-playoff team, dating back to the award’s inception in 1954.
- It isn’t an offense-only award. If a defenseman is going to win the Norris, they need to demonstrate an ability (both via the eye test and with quantitative metrics) to play at an elite level in all facets of the game. This includes the power play, the penalty kill, and even-strength play.
2021 Norris Trophy Odds for Previous Winners
There are four previous winners listed in the top five odds to win the 2021 Norris Trophy. Erik Karlsson opened at +900 to win his third Norris Trophy.
Last 10 Norris Trophy Winners
| Year | Player | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | Roman Josi (Nashville Predators) | 52 (COVID-19-Shortened Season) | 16 | 49 | 65 | 30 |
| 2018-19 | Mark Giordano (Calgary Flames) | 78 | 17 | 57 | 74 | 35 |
| 2017-18 | Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning) | 77 | 17 | 46 | 63 | 27 |
| 2016-17 | Brent Burns (San Jose Sharks) | 82 | 29 | 47 | 76 | 31 |
| 2015-16 | Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings) | 82 | 14 | 37 | 51 | 26 |
| 2014-15 | Erik Karlsson (Ottawa Senators) | 82 | 21 | 45 | 66 | 24 |
| 2013-14 | Duncan Keith (Chicago Blackhawks) | 79 | 6 | 55 | 61 | 30 |
| 2012-13 | PK Subban (Montreal Canadiens) | 42 (Lockout-Shortened Season) | 11 | 27 | 38 | 23 |
| 2011-12 | Erik Karlsson (Ottawa Senators) | 81 | 19 | 59 | 78 | 21 |
| 2010-11 | Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit Red Wings) | 82 | 16 | 46 | 62 | 40 |
The median age of Norris winners in the last ten years is a little over 28. The youngest winner over the previous ten years was Erik Karlsson, who was only 21 when he won the Norris in his third NHL season.
Players with Multiple Norris Trophies
| Player | Norris Trophies |
|---|---|
| Bobby Orr | 8 |
| Doug Harvey | 7 |
| Nicklas Lidstrom | 7 |
| Ray Bourque | 5 |
| Chris Chelios | 3 |
| Paul Coffey | 3 |
| Pierre Pilote | 3 |
| Denis Potvin | 3 |
| Erik Karlsson | 2 |
| Duncan Keith | 2 |
| Rod Langway | 2 |
| Brian Leetch | 2 |
| Larry Robinson | 2 |
Bobby Orr, Doug Harvey, and Nicklas Lidstrom are commonly regarded as not only some of the best defensemen to ever play in the league but also some of the best players to ever play the game. This is reflected in their absurd Norris Trophy totals.
Nicklas Lidstrom’s career was especially remarkable, as he never missed the playoffs once in his 20 season career. His durability was equally remarkable, as prior to missing 12 games in his final season at the age of 41, the most regular season games he had missed in a season was 6. In total, he played a total of 1564 regular season games, on top of 263 playoff games.
With five years of sports journalism under his belt already, Ryan Sura may be young, but he is already making his mark. He has written for publications such as Fantasy Pros, SB Nation and TSN.ca, covering NFL, NBA, and college sports.
