NHL 2026-2026 Season Preview - Award Props Pt I. Now that we have taken a look at a few of the leading teams in the league and my four favorite NHL teams to win the Stanley Cup and their conferences, it is time to go into the NHL awards. I definitely like these markets, particularly novice of the year (the Calder). Today we will break down 2 of the four awards which I think have the most worth and disparity season over season. We'll look at my preferred choice for these awards and a runner up. With puck drop simply around the corner it is time to lock in some NHL future bets to give you something to root for all season. And don't forget, Betting News will be dropping sharp NHL gamer props, video game scripts and bets to keep your bankroll rolling for the whole NHL season. But first, let's dissect the upcoming 2025-2026 NHL season, and see how much of the script we can get right. Be sure to keep you eyes out for more NHL future bets pieces here at Betting News. In the next couple weeks we will highlight whatever from NHL awards, group point totals and player props in the Betting News NHL future bet series. 1. Calder Trophy (top novice): Ivan Demidov +200 on BetOnline: Ivan Demidov of the Montreal Canadiens has the toolset to win the Calder Why it's a strong bet: The market has Demidov as the early, fairly heavy preferred after a buzzy late-season debut (objective + help in his very first NHL game, power-play usage in the playoffs) and he'll now spend a full season riding shotgun with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield on scoring lines and power play systems. Montreal just produced last year's Calder winner (Lane Hutson), and Demidov's capability fits cleanly into a top-six function that should yield immediate points-exactly what citizens reward. Top Offensive Instincts: Demidov lit up the KHL before coming by to the NHL late last season.