Calder Trophy Odds: Who Is Favored To Win NHL’s Rookie of the Year?

There’s been an explosion of talent in the NHL brought about by the last few entry drafts. 

Look no further than second-year player Macklin Celebrini as evidence of that. Celebrini finished second in Calder voting last season behind his college teammate Lane Hutson. Now, Celebrini is a contender for the Hart Trophy and was a star for Canada at the Olympics. 

Maybe some players from the 2025 NHL Draft Class could become Hart candidates someday, but right now, those guys are more concerned about the Calder Trophy, the award given to the league’s best rookie. 

Here’s an updated look at which player has the best odds to win the Calder as of Feb. 24. 

Calder Trophy Odds

Who’s Favored to Win the 2025-26 Calder Trophy?

Matthew Schaefer, D, Islanders (-650)

New York’s 18-year-old defenseman Matthew Schaefer remains a prohibitive favorite to win the Calder Trophy.

Schaefer’s got an impressive stat line through 58 games played: 16 goals and 23 assists. He’s also earned a +9 net rating. 

He’s got the third-most goals for a rookie this season, behind Montreal’s Oliver Kapanen and Anaheim’s Beckett Sennecke. And he’s got the third most overall points for a rookie behind Sennecke and Montreal’s Ivan Demidov. 

Schaefer ranks among the top defenseman overall in scoring. He’s tied with Nashville’s Roman Josi and Boston’s Charlie McAvoy for ninth overall in points. 

Schaefer’s Calder candidacy is being strengthened by the success of the Islanders overall, who are having a resurgent season right now. New York is currently in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 69 team points. 

If Schaefer wins the Calder Trophy this season, it would be only the second time in league history that the award was given to a defenseman in consecutive years, given that Montreal’s Lane Hutson won the award last year. The last time this happened was in 1964 when Montreal’s Jacques Laperriere won it after Toronto’s Kent Douglas.