Connor Bedard started the 2023-24 season as the favorite to win the Calder Trophy. The Chicago Blackhawks center finished the season at overwhelmingly strong odds to be named the NHL's rookie of the year. Who else would you bet on? [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA0NDcyODQ5MDg2MjkzNzky/usatsi_22565588_168401008_lowres.jpg] Who else would you bet on? The Calder, recognizing "the National Hockey League player judged to be the most proficient in his first season" will be presented in Las Vegas at the 2024 NHL's Awards ceremony on Thursday, June 27. Both DraftKings and FanDuel have Bedard at prohibitive-2500 odds in their latest postings. In other words, you'd have to stake $2,500 to win just $100 on Bedard if he skates away with the Calder. BetMGM listed the NHL's 2023 top draft pick at -5000. No wonder why Bedard, who doesn't turn 19 until July 17, wasn't even talking about the Calder after the Blackhawks' season ended. See video. Connor Bedard's final thoughts (none, officially) on the Calder Trophy race... and his season. Bedard finished with 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games on a rebuilding, injury-depleted Blackhawks team that set a franchise record for losses at 23-53-6 and finished 31st in the 32-team NHL. The league's No. 1 draft pick of 2023 missed 14 games with a broken jaw, suffered on Jan. 5 in New Jersey. Otherwise the North Vancouver, British Columbia native was on course for 73 points. Bedard is one of three finalists for the Calder, along with Minnesota defenseman Brock Faber and New Jersey D-man Luke Hughes. Faber had a terrific season with the Wild, stepping in as a blue line anchor who averaged 24:58 of ice time per game after injuries thinned out Minnesota's defense corps. The 21-year-old had eight goals and 47 assists and was a minus-1. Bedard was a minus-44, albeit on a team with minus-111 goals differential. Still Faber is listed as a distant underdog for the Calder and +1400 by Draft Kings and +1200 by FanDuel and BetMGM. So, you would win up to $1,400 for a $100 bet on the solid Twin Cities area native if he upset Bedard. At the start of the season, Bedard's Calder odds were a more modest -135, still the best of any rookie. Faber wasn't even listed. Arizona forward Logan Cooley was second at +750, Hughes third at +950 and Columbus' Adam Fantilli fourth at +1110. Bedard would become the ninth Blackhawks player to win the Calder. Atremi Panarin in 2016 and Patrick Kane in 2008 were the two most recent previous winners.
