Two weeks into the NHL season, the landscape is already starting to take shape, with several players and teams emerging as early standouts while others struggle to find their footing. As the season progresses, odds for end-of-year awards begin to shift rapidly, making it increasingly difficult for bettors to find value before the market adjusts. Last season, Lane Hutson's unexpected rise to Calder Trophy contention is a reminder of how quickly futures bets can become less profitable once a breakout candidate gains attention.

In an effort to stay ahead of the curve, attention is now turning to early predictions for the major NHL awards set to be handed out in June. While some selections may follow familiar patterns featuring perennial contenders, others highlight under-the-radar picks with strong potential to surprise. With odds still fluctuating in the early part of the season, now is the time for fans and bettors alike to act before the window of opportunity closes.

All betting lines are from BetMGM Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. 

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Why New York's Shesterkin Presents Best Case for 2026 Vezina Trophy New roster additions help Rangers' Igor Shesterkin appear to be the best bet early on in the 2025-6 Vezina trophy race.

Vezina Trophy: Igor Shesterkin (+250)

If you've been following us since mid-July, hopefully you jumped on this pick early, when Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin was listed with +650 odds. If not, this may be your last opportunity to get in at a strong value. Shesterkin has been outstanding to start the season, posting a 1.17 goals-against average and a .957 save percentage through six games. While his 2-3-1 record doesn’t jump off the page, the underlying numbers are elite at just seven goals allowed and one shutout.

The Rangers’ slow start can largely be attributed to a tough schedule with six of their first eight games against playoff teams. Despite that, expectations remain high for a rebound, even with a new head coach in two-time Stanley Cup Champion Mike Sullivan and key additions like Carson Soucy and standout defensive defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.

Shesterkin was a runaway Vezina winner in 2021–22, finishing with a 36-14-4 record, a 2.07 GAA, and a .935 save percentage. Even before last season’s team collapse, he had dominated for three years with a 109-43-14 record, 2.39 GAA, and .921 save percentage. Now, with Gavrikov bolstering the blue line, Shesterkin is returning to that elite form. Gavrikov quietly ranked among the league’s best defensive defensemen last year with a +26 rating, over 23 minutes per game, and 140 blocked shots (top 40 league-wide). He also logged nearly 270 shorthanded minutes, ranking third in the NHL, a massive boost to New York’s special teams.

If the Rangers stabilize and return to playoff form, Shesterkin will be a top contender, if not the frontrunner, for the Vezina Trophy.

Rookie Defenseman Shocks NHL as Early Calder Trophy Front-Runner An 18-year-old defenseman is shattering expectations, logging elite minutes and dominating the early Calder Trophy race against a loaded rookie class.

Calder Trophy: Matthew Schaefer (+120)

If you again followed us throughout the summer, you may have seen a discussion around a certain future bet where it was Montreal's Ivan Demidov against the field for the Calder trophy. We mentioned several reasons as to why it would be adventogous to take the field with one of them being the 2025 first overall pick in New York's Matthew Schaefer. Back then, we knew little about Schaefer's game or what his role would be, but after a handful of games, the Islanders defender is quickly emerging as one of the best rookie blueliners the league has ever seen. 

After smashing numerous records with a pair of goals, including a game winner on Tuesday versus San Jose, and five assists for seven points through the first six games of his career, Schaefer finds himself only behind Colorado's Cale Makar in points by defensemen. Some are New York fans are calling for the 18-year-old to be considered for the James Norris trophy for the league's best defenseman and they may have a point. 

So far this season, Schaefer is tied with center Bo Horvat for the Islanders team-lead in points, he averages the most minutes on the teams at over 22 per game and he has the second-most shots on the team at 19 tied with veteran winger Kyle Palmieri. Schaefer's spot in the lineup is a very meaningful one with some minutes in the top defense pairing at times as well as serving as the lone defender on New York's top power play unit. 

If Schaefer can maintain this elite level of play, he has the potential to put together a season reminiscent of Zach Werenski’s performance for Columbus last year, where Werenski notched 82 points and nearly carried the Blue Jackets to a playoff berth. If that happens with Schaefer and the Islanders, it could not only bring on buzz for him being a strong contender for the Calder Trophy but might even generate Hart Trophy buzz, just as Werenski did. 

The most challenging aspect of this pick is that it goes against history, defensemen have won the Calder Trophy in back-to-back seasons only once in NHL history. That lone occurrence came in 1963 and 1964, when Toronto’s Kent Douglas and Montreal’s Jacques Laperrière claimed the award. However, Schaefer presents a rare and compelling case as he has the potential to quickly establish himself as one of the league’s top defensemen in his rookie season. His game is constantly evolving, and given how many records and trends he’s already broken, it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see him break this one too.

Jack Eichel’s MVP Case Strengthens Amid Golden Knights’ Dominant Start Eichel's offensive explosion fuels the Golden Knights' hot streak. Can this star-studded lineup carry him to MVP glory?

Hart Trophy: Jack Eichel (+550)

With Vegas boasting the league’s most potent offense (4.29 goals per game), Eichel has taken center stage, leading the NHL in scoring with 16 points, including eight on the power play. His chemistry with linemate Mark Stone and the addition of Mitch Marner have elevated the team's top-six to arguably the most dangerous in the league. Despite injuries to key players like Stone and Noah Hanifin, Eichel has continued to drive play at an elite level, placing him on a staggering 187-point pace, even if unsustainable, it's a clear indicator of his current impact.

Eichel’s case for the Hart is further strengthened by his trajectory. Coming off a career-best 94-point campaign, he appears poised to shatter his personal bests in both goals and assists, especially with the support of an improved power play. The arrival of Marner has given him the elite winger he’s long needed to match the production of peers like McDavid, Draisaitl, and Matthews. As sportsbooks begin to reflect his rise with Eichel now holding the third-best MVP odds at +550, it’s becoming increasingly clear that this season may finally be his defining moment as one of the league’s top five players.