The 2026-27 NHL season is quickly approaching, with preseason games starting yesterday on Saturday, September 19, which means it’s time to talk NHL futures picks and bets on DraftKings Sportsbook.
We’re starting with the Calder Trophy –– below, I’ll break down the odds on DraftKings Sportsbook and provide two of my favorite picks that I am backing as the regular-season start nears.
Calder Trophy Odds
Porter Martone and Gavin McKenna are the front-runners, tied at +280 odds, with Ivar Stenberg (+600), Anton Frondell (+900) and Cole Hutson (+900) rounding out the top five.
Best Calder Trophy Bets
Porter Martone (+280)
Martone joined the Flyers for the final nine games of the season, and he immediately validated the entire fanbase for Philadelphia taking him sixth overall in the 2025 draft. The 19-year-old scored his first career goal in his fourth career game, and it was a massive one, as it was a game-winner in overtime against the Bruins. Across those nine regular-season outings, he totaled four goals and six assists.
Philadelphia also clinched its first postseason berth since the 2019-20 season, and Martone proceeded to score goals in both Games 1 and 2 of the first round against the Penguins. The Flyers went on to win that first-round series in six games, but they ran into the powerhouse that was the Hurricanes and got swept in the second round. Martone failed to find the back of the net in that series, but he picked up two assists across Games 3 and 4.
It’s safe to say that the 19-year-old is comfortable in the NHL, and it has to mean something to be tied in terms of odds with the expected generational phenom in Gavin McKenna. The Flyers are expected to build off of their first strong season in quite some time, and Martone will likely see first- or second-line minutes all season long. The odds aren’t necessarily sexy at +280, but he is worth backing and very much the front-runner, barring some immediate elite play from McKenna.
Konsta Helenius (+1900)
Helenius also played in nine regular-season games last season, but his time came before the Olympic break, as Buffalo dealt with multiple injuries to its forwards, particularly Josh Norris and Josh Dunne. The 20-year-old was the 14th overall pick in the 2024 draft, and he was lighting up the AHL with the Rochester Americans last season, totaling 63 points (21G, 42A) in 63 games. During his regular-season stint, Helenius totaled one goal and three assists across nine games, with three of those points coming in his second career game.
Similar to Philadelphia, Buffalo got a taste of playoff hockey for the first time in a long time, and Helenius, among others, was called up at the end of the regular season. He didn’t make an appearance in the Sabres’ first-round series against the Bruins, but he made his postseason debut in Game 4 of the second round against the Canadiens. Helenius netted goals in Games 5 and 6, as he centered a line between Jason Zucker and Jack Quinn. I’d expect a full season for the Finnish youngster in 2026, where he should see consistent top-six minutes all season long. Buffalo was an exciting group offensively last season, and it should look to build off of that in 2026 and lean on its young and talented core.
