Last year, Erik Karlsson became the eighth different player in eight seasons to win the James Norris Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top defenseman.
Karlsson, who won the award twice previously, led all players in his position with 25 goals, 76 assists, and 101 points.
Following an offseason trade that sent him from San Jose to Pittsburgh, Karlsson is expected to contend again for the coveted trophy, though he is far from a favorite.
Let’s break down the latest Norris Trophy odds, highlight the leading contenders, and reveal our best bets.
NHL Norris Trophy Odds 2024
NHL betting odds used for these Norris Trophy predictions are from Wednesday, Aug. 30, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche (+190)
- Adam Fox, New York Rangers (+500)
- Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres (+800)
- Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins (+1400)
- Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars (+1400)
- Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks (+1400)
- Roman Josi, Nashville Predators (+1800)
- Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins (+2000)
- Dougie Hamilton, New Jersey Devils (+2500)
- Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning (+3000)
- Jakob Chychrun, Ottawa Senators (+3000)
- Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets (+3000)
Who Will Win The 2024 Norris Trophy?
Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche (+190)
While injuries kept him from defending his Norris Trophy last season, the 24-year-old blueliner still recorded 66 points in 60 games and led the NHL in average ice time (26:22). His six game-winning goals tied Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey for second among defensemen.
Makar’s smooth playmaking was especially lethal on the power play, where he registered five goals and ranked eighth among defensemen with 25 assists.
Makar also became the fastest defenseman to 200 points, needing only 195 games to hit that mark (12 fewer than Sergei Zubov). If healthy, his numbers should only improve.
Norris Trophy Favorites
Adam Fox, New York Rangers (+500)
How’s this for exclusive company? Besides Hall of Famer Bobby Orr, Fox is the only other player in NHL history to win the Norris within his first two seasons. A runner-up last season, Fox was eighth among defensemen with 72 points (12 goals, 60 assists) in 82 games.
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Fox, who won the Norris in 2020-21, posted the best/plus-minus (+28) of his career. The Rangers were 15-0 when he scored at least two points. He was also among the team’s top penalty-killers.
Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres (+800)
Dahlin has started to live up to the expectations that followed him when he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2018. He skated more on average (25:47) than anyone outside of Makar and Los Angeles’ Drew Doughty and shattered his career-high in points with 73.
He became just the second defenseman in Sabres history to record 70 points in a season, following Phil Housley, who hit the mark three times.
Dahlin doesn’t turn 24 until April 13, and there’s reason to believe he can be even better.
Norris Trophy Contenders
Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins (+1400)
While teammate Hampus Lindholm finished well ahead of McAvoy in the voting, placing fourth with 12 first-place votes, McAvoy was still highly productive. Upon returning from injury in early November, McAvoy registered 52 points and a plus-29 rating in 67 games.
McAvoy also led the Bruins with 131 blocked shots and helped anchor one of the NHL’s premier special teams units.
The Bruins will find it tougher to overcome similar odds to win the Presidents’ Trophy, with Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retiring. But McAvoy, 25, should still play a big part in the team’s success.
Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks (+1400)
Hughes set career-highs in numerous categories last season, including assists (69) and points (76). His 34 power-play points tied Dallas’ Miro Heiskanen for most among defensemen.
Notably, the 23-year-old Hughes became the first defenseman with back-to-back seasons with 60 assists or more since Ray Bourque and Paul Coffey in 1993-94.
Despite his offensive proficiency, Hughes only finished ninth in the Norris Trophy voting. But if he can duplicate, if not improve, his performance this past season, Hughes should begin earning more respect among the household names.
Norris Trophy Sleepers
Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins (+2000)
It feels a bit odd to label Karlsson a “sleeper" for the Norris Trophy. He did, after all, win the award in June after registering the best statistical season of his career. Karlsson notched 25 goals, 76 assists, and 101 points to lead all defensemen. In doing so, he became the first at his position with 100 points since Brian Leetch (102) in 1991-92.
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Karlsson, who previously won the Norris in 2012 and 2015, was traded by San Jose to Pittsburgh in August, where he will team with fellow 30-something stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang.
While Karlsson’s age (33) might concern some bettors, last season proved he’s still incredibly productive.
Dougie Hamilton, New Jersey Devils (+2500)
Hamilton tied a franchise record for defensemen with 22 goals and finished second in New Jersey in assists (52) and third in points (74). He also led all defensemen with seven game-winning goals.
His abilities are apparent, and playing for a sure-fire Stanley Cup contender like New Jersey should only help his case. If nothing else, the numbers will be there.
Previous Norris Trophy Winners
2023: Erik Karlsson, San Jose Sharks
2022: Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
2021: Adam Fox, New York Rangers
2020: Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
2019: Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames
2018: Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
2017: Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks
2016: Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
2015: Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
2014: Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks