The bookies have planted their flag. It’s Cale Makar versus the field in the race for the Norris Trophy. Makar, 23, won the Norris last season as the NHL’s top defenseman and then followed it up with a Conn Smythe performance en route to a Stanley Cup in the spring.
As such, bookmakers have installed Makar as the +125 favorite to win the Norris again in 2022-23.
Can anybody beat him? Here are our favorite bets to upset Makar:
On paper, the Ottawa Senators are arguably the NHL’s most improved team. General manager Pierre Dorion added high-end sniper Alex DeBrincat, veteran leader Claude Giroux and steady stopper Cam Talbot to a roster that was already rich with impressive young talent in Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris, Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson.