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

With everything that’s happened so far this year, it’s becoming clear that NHL fans are enjoying a truly special era of talent in professional hockey. The Four Nations tournament, where the championship game became one of the most watched hockey games ever, spotlighted the ‘Golden era’ of players in the league right now. 

The talent in this year’s Calder Trophy race, the award given each year to the NHL’s best rookie, proves that the elite players from both the collegiate and international levels are going to keep coming. 

With a few months to go until the Calder Trophy winner is announced, here’s a look at where the odds stand for this year’s best rookie. 

Calder Trophy Odds

Calder Trophy Favorite

Macklin Celebrini, C, Sharks (-190)

San Jose’s Celebrini has been the odds favorite for most of the season, and with good reason. He’s tied with Flyers forward Matvei Michkov for first in goals for rookies with 20, and he’s second in points with 48. 

Celebrini played one season at Boston University last year, winning the Hobey Baker award, college hockey’s equivalent of the Heisman. His BU squad also made it to the Frozen Four, losing to Denver, the eventual National Champions. 

He could become the third player to win a Hobey Baker award and Calder Trophy in back-to-back seasons since the Baker award was first handed out in 1981. The first two were BU’s Chris Drury, who won the Calder with the Colorado Avalanche in 1999, and UMass defenseman Cale Makar, who won the Calder with the Avalanche in 2020. 

2024-25 Calder Trophy Contenders

Lane Hutson, D, Canadiens (+200)

Hutson, who was teammates with Celebrini last year in Boston, is building a strong case to be considered for the Calder Trophy. He’s already become one of the league’s best offensive defensemen. He leads all rookies in points with 51, and he’s doing it all with his passing, scoring only four goals this year.

Hutson’s case could improve if the Canadiens’ playoff standing improves. Montreal’s only one point out of the final Eastern Conference Wild Card spot. Maybe Calder voters would be more inclined to support Hutson over Celebrini if the former helped his team into the playoffs. 

Dustin Wolf, G, Flames (+850)

A rookie goalie hasn’t won the Calder since Steve Mason in 2009, but if the Flames make the playoffs, there could be a chance for Wolf to break the drought.,

Wolf is in a class of his own when it comes to rookie goalies, and he’s even in the top echelon of goalies overall. He’s currently 13th in goals against average with 2.53 and 8th in save percentage with .915.

Sure, there’s a chance Wolf sneaks in there, but it would take a pretty big streak of shutouts and a massive improvement in the Flames’ record for him to jump over Hutson and Celebrini. 

Who Will Win the 2025 Calder Trophy?

It’s more likely than not that Celebrini will hold on to win the Calder Trophy, but Hutson’s case will get stronger as the playoffs approach. 

The Sharks are what they are at this point in the season: a bottom-of-the-league team with good vibes and many promising prospects. But the Canadiens have a real shot at being a playoff team this year. 

Celebrini’s lead in the betting markets has been shrinking recently, and a run towards the playoffs for the Canadiens could improve standing even more. 

As a Boston University graduate, picking between Celebrini and Hutson is impossible for me. Celebrini is more of a surefire star in the NHL, but Hutson is a more ‘special’ player. He’s undersized but still manages to play great defense, passes like an elite center, and has moves on the ice that look like an Allen Iverson crossover. 

If I had a vote, I think I’d have to pick Hutson.