NHL Norris Trophy Odds: Karlsson Favored To Pick Up Third Trophy

The NHL handed its top defenseman award to a new name yet again last season. Colorado Avalanche rearguard Cale Makar was the 2021-22 James Norris Memorial Trophy recipient. In 77 games, Makar put up an incredible 28 goals and 86 points from the blue line. His goal scoring ranked first among defensemen while his point total was second only to Nashville stalwart Roman Josi’s 96. 

This season, Makar has been dealt a series of injuries. After a brief return in February, he has been placed on IR with a concussion. Now, online sportsbooks have Erik Karlsson as the favorite to be the top defenseman at -210 odds with just about six weeks remaining in the regular season.

New to betting on hockey? We have a great NHL betting tutorial to assist you in placing a wager on Stanley Cup futures. 

NHL Norris Trophy Odds

Odds as of March 2

NHL Norris Trophy Odds: Karlsson Looking For Third Norris

Erik karlsson (-210)

In this sport, unexpected injuries happen. Just a couple of months ago, Karlsson was our long-shot bet. But, with Makar sidelined and Karlsson’s performance grabbing attention, he is the new front-runner.

A first-time winner has been the recipient of the Norris Trophy each year since 2014-15, when Karlsson coincidentally won his second Norris Trophy (he won his first in 2011-12). The San Jose Sharks veteran is looking to pick up his third and it looks more than likely in what has been a strong comeback season for him. The 32-year-old leads all defensemen with 77 points, 14 more than the Winnipeg Jets’ Josh Morrissey. 

Who else but Erik Karlsson? 💁 pic.twitter.com/6hd122BuVS

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 26, 2023

Karlsson also leads all blue-liners with 19 goals and is third in the NHL in assists with 58, behind only the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid (66) and the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov (63). I can’t help but imagine how much better those numbers would be if the Sharks weren’t buried in seventh place in the Pacific Division and averaging a paltry 2.93 goals per game (23rd).

It counts for something when you’re performing at league-leading levels despite having little support around you, especially now with the trade of top goal scorer Timo Meier to New Jersey. Karlsson’s -210 odds are turning into a heavy favorite number – our odds calculator puts his implied odds of winning at 67.74 percent.

Best Long-Shot Bets

Adam Fox (+400)

There’s really only one other name to consider, especially if value is an important factor for your bet slip. Points matter when it comes to the Norris Trophy, and New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox has 56 points to rank sixth among rearguards. His 74 points last year were slightly back of Makar’s 86 and Josi’s 96. Fox will be looking to reclaim the trophy he won in the shortened 2020-21 season, when he collected 47 points in 55 games and had a plus-19 rating.

Fox has 46 assists, good for 13th in the NHL, and he plays big minutes for a Rangers penalty-kill unit that used to rate third in the league with an 84.1 percent efficiency mark but has since dropped to 17th with a 78.6 percent rate. However, the Rangers have added some ammunition in Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane, who is gunning for another Stanley Cup opportunity. The Rangers sit comfortably in third in the Metropolitan and with Kane’s arrival, I would expect the rest of the team to have an extra jump in their stride. Look for Fox to add some numbers to his stats with this boost of energy hitting the team. 

Hello, beautiful. 😍 pic.twitter.com/HXXZokZLKY

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 1, 2023

If Fox is handed the trophy this year, he will join notable names like Ray Bourque, Nicklas Lidstrom, Paul Coffey and Bobby Orr as players who won the award at least twice within a three-year period. At +400 odds, our odds calculator shows a $10 bet would pay out $50, which is a $40 profit. 

Last 10 Norris Trophy Winners

Making A Futures Bet

A futures bet is a wager made on events or milestones that will happen in time. The Norris Trophy bet is a form of futures betting because you are making a pick based on an outcome determined at the end of the NHL season. The trophy is given out in mid-June and if you want to get a bigger payout, it’s best to lock in your bets sooner rather than later so you can take advantage of better odds. The closer it gets to Norris Trophy voting, the more the odds will change.

How To Read Norris Trophy Odds

The above chart features the odds for each top defenseman in the NHL. At your sportsbook of choice, the betting lines would look something like this:

Cale Makar +150

Erik Karlsson +450

Adam Fox +650

This means that Makar is the favorite since he has the lowest odds and the highest chance of winning the prop, according to oddsmakers. If you were to bet $100 on Makar and he won, you would get a payout of $250 – your original $100 is returned along with your winnings of $150.

On the other hand, if you strongly believe that Adam Fox is going to win the Norris with the Rangers, a winning $100 bet on him would yield $750 – your $100 comes back along with your prize of $650.

Our odds calculator will show you how much you’d win based on the odds and amount bet.

What Is A Futures Bet For NHL Teams?

When it comes to big events for any sport, you can bet months in advance. In this case, a futures bet is a wager made on which player will win the Norris Trophy. Each week, oddsmakers will update the odds to reflect how the contenders are doing. If the player suddenly is injured or hits a slump, their chances of winning the award diminish. A surging player will see his odds skyrocket.