NHL Norris Trophy Odds: Quinn Hughes Remains the Favorite at Halfway Point

After looking like it'd be a one-man race for much of the season, the Norris Trophy chase is heating up.

The 2023-24 NHL season has reached the halfway point, and nothing has been truly settled in terms of who the best teams are and who are going to take home the top awards at the end of the year. That can very much be said for the Norris Trophy, which is looking like a two-man race with about half the season to go.

Let's dive into the Norris Trophy odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

NHL Norris Trophy Odds

Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +100

Quinn Hughes has been the leader in the clubhouse in terms of the Norris Trophy race all season long, so it's only right he leads the way heading into the second half.

A deep dive isn't needed to find out how good Hughes has been as his dominance is seen every night for the Pacific Division-leading Vancouver Canucks. The team has been playing through their captain, sporting a 27-11-3 record. Hughes has dominated at both ends of the ice. Not only does he lead all defenseman in points with 51, but he also has the best plus/minus in the NHL at +32.

Hughes has earned those 51 points by recording 11 goals and 40 assists. Those 40 helpers rank second in the NHL, behind only Nathan MacKinnon and tied with Connor McDavid. Everything Hughes has done in 41 games has made him the rightful favorite at +100 odds, but there's still the second half to see if he -- and the Canucks -- are legit when big wins and performances are necessary.

Entering the halfway point with five points in his last three games, Hughes is showing that he should be able to carry this dominance over to the last 41 games of the season. It'll just be a matter of holding off the other guy in this two-man race -- which may be asking a lot.

Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +185

Much like Connor McDavid in the Hart Trophy race, it's been inevitable that Cale Makar will make it tough on Hughes until the very end of the season as he gets closer and closer to Hughes in this market.

The Colorado Avalanche are currently second in the Central Division with a 26-12-3 record. Makar has unsurprisingly been a big part of that successful season, playing as one of the best skaters in hockey when he's on the ice.

The 25-year-old has missed five games this season due to injury, but he's still been on pace with Hughes in every way. Through 36 games, Makar has posted 9 goals, 39 assists, and 48 points while also sporting a plus/minus of +7. If he had played those five more games, there's a real likelihood that he'd be right with Hughes in points, if not past him.

As we've seen with the Norris Trophy over the last decade, this award has been about points more than anything else. If Makar is able to keep up his elite scoring rate (1.33 points per game) and -- most importantly -- stay healthy, then he's going to be in the conversation to win his second Norris Trophy until the very end of the season.

The Field

Where things stand right now, it looks as though it'll be down to Hughes or Makar for the Norris Trophy this year. No one else has odds shorter than +1100. However, it's worth mentioning a few others.

Evan Bouchard (+1100) has been having a breakout season for the Edmonton Oilers. He has 9 goals, 30 assists, and 39 points over 37 games while also playing a career-high in minutes with an average of 22:41 time on ice. He's not likely to keep up with the two leaders, but considering how bad things started for the Oilers, it's impressive what he's been able to put together.

Noah Dobson (+1100) has followed in the footsteps of Bouchard with a breakout season of his own. He had a career-high of 51 points two seasons ago but is already sitting at 38 points through 40 games. He's showing real signs in his age-24 season, and a strong second half could leave him in the conversation for the Norris Trophy heading into next season.

There are some defensemen making waves on their own, but this is going to be a two-man race unless something drastically changes.

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