NHL training camp has arrived, and veterans are honing their skills while rookies vie for a spot on the roster and a chance to live out their dreams. The vets are somewhat easy to predict, but the rooks present a true sports betting opportunity. NHL props and futures can be an enjoyable way to spice up the traditionally dry pre-season.

The Calder Trophy race is often the sexiest hockey futures bet every fall, at least in terms of payout. Sure, you could lay it down on Sidney Crosby to win the scoring race at roughly 3:1, and sweat it out all season in hopes of tripling up. But the point of futures is to sprinkle on different things with big payouts and keep your fingers crossed waiting for the seemingly impossible to happen. (Note: This author is more and more proud each day of his one dollar, 150:1 bet on the Tampa Bay Rays to win the World Series last December.)

With a little research, the Calder Trophy race can give you a nice payout from your online sportsbook. That being said, we've done all the studying for you - here's your NHL rookie betting cheat sheet, the Top 10 Rookie of the Year candidates.

1. Kyle Turris, Coyotes
Hockey Canada and Wayne Gretzky (I guess they're one and the same) are convinced Turris is the next superstar. The 19-year old B.C. native will inherit top-six minutes on a youthful Coyotes squad, as well as significant power-play time. Unheralded Martin Hanzal showed last year what a rookie can do if given a chance in Phoenix, and Turris figures to be the centerpiece for years to come.

2. Steven Stamkos, Lightning
Online sportsbooks and NHL betting lines will likely have Stamkos pegged as the favorite to win it all going into the season, and who could blame them? Stamkos' incredible talent aside, anyone playing in the Tampa Bay lineup should rack up the points just by showing up. The general consensus around the scouting community is he’ll turn into a Steve Yzerman-type player, meaning his skills in the faceoff circle, in the defensive zone and simply his intangibles will give him a push when voting time comes around.

3. Shawn Matthias, Panthers
Matthias might be a dark horse to the oddsmakers, but not to those who followed his career in Belleville and his brief call-up last season. The former Red Wings draft pick scored two goals in just his second NHL game last season, so he already has that part figured out. What Matthias has that most in this rookie class don't is tremendous power, and an innate ability to hang onto the puck. Florida has provided him a mentor, a similar player in Stephen Weiss - the two are now rooming together. Clearly, the Panthers have a tremendous vision for him, and he will factor into their 2008 plans in a big way.

4. TJ Oshie, Blues
The St. Louis Blues are quite lucky Oshie opted out of his final year at the University of North Dakota, because they need help desperately. The former Fighting Sioux center will be an integral part of the team and will be relied upon heavily for secondary scoring - Brad Boyes can't do it all. If Oshie can replicate his absolute dominance in the NCAA, he'll be a surefire Calder contender this season.

5. Bobby Ryan, Anaheim
What?! He's still a rookie? Yup, Ryan falls just short of the number of games needed to negate rookie status, with just 23 games played. Meanwhile, the guy drafted one spot before him in 2005 - that Crosby fella - well, he's done much better. Ducks coach Randy Carlyle is convinced that Ryan is a top-line forward and a power play threat, but the hulking American hasn't cracked the lineup. Maybe this is finally the year he breaks out. If Teemu Selanne doesn't return, he'll be forced to.

6. Fabian Brunnstrum, Stars
The uber-hyped, former “best player not in the NHL” has lofty expectations to live up to in Dallas. After the bidding war the Stars brass endured to sign Brunnstrum, they're going to give him every chance to succeed...even just to avoid humiliation from the NHL GM community. In fact, one of the late-blooming Swede's many demands included guaranteed top-six minutes. Dallas doesn't score much, but somebody has to provide the little offense they have. Online sportsbooks will likely have heavy odds against him, but he's a nice sleeper option.

7. Alex Goligoski, Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh has been searching for a puck moving defenseman not named Sergei Gonchar. Alex Gologoski seems to be their man. The undersized defender looked to be the only Pens blueline prospect capable of controlling the play in rookie camp, echoing his 28-point AHL playoff performance from last year. He's excelled all the way through the system, so the only thing left is for him to crack the NHL this season. Goligoski is the only defenseman worth a look if you fancy Calder race NHL futures.

8. Kyle Okposo, Islanders
Usually I'd argue a good prospect on a bad team would be a serious challenger for the Calder, but the Islanders are a different kind of bad. When your top scorer doesn't crack the 50-point plateau, you have serious offensive issues. Okposo won't struggle for ice-time—in fact, he'll get plenty of it—but he’ll have a complete lack of assistance in putting the puck in the net. A definite long-shot here.

9. Patric Hornqvist, Nashville
Hornqvist ripped it up at the World Championships last spring, leading Sweden in scoring. He just might earn himself a spot on one of the top two lines in Nashville, after being thought of as a long-term project just last year.

10. Mikkel Boedker, Coyotes
A very big sleeper futures bet here. The Danish delight already has NHL speed, but the jury is out on his strength and hockey sense at this point in his young career. Sadly, unless you're Luis Mendoza in The Mighty Ducks, speed isn't everything.