With the Olympic break finally over, it’s time to look at the updated betting odds and what way the top-rated sportsbooks are leaning when it comes to favorites and contenders.
With the Florida Panthers in the midst of an injury-plagued season, there are new favorites in town, including the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning. We also can’t count out the Edmonton Oilers.
Either way, we are in for another fantastic finish to the NHL season in 2026. Let’s check out the future odds and which team we believe is the best value to get behind right now.
NHL Stanley Cup Odds
Stanley Cup Favorites
The Avalanche (+240) and Lightning (+450) are the two clear-cut favorites to win the Stanley Cup this season.
Colorado has clearly been the best team all year long, with Nathan MacKinnon as the frontrunner for the Hart Trophy and Cale Makar as one of the best defenseman in hockey. But we all know how Presidents’ Trophy teams tend to struggle in the playoffs. Just think about how the Lightning lost to the Blue Jackets in the first round. With that in mind, I can’t bring myself to lay (+240) on the chalk here.
As for the Lightning, it’s great to see them dominating once again after a brief hiatus, characterized by a couple of early-round exits. Nikita Kucherov has dominated this season, while Darren Raddysh is perhaps the biggest surprise in the NHL. The Lightning have all the tools to win the Cup, but I don’t like the value at (+450) odds. Tampa will still have a tough path, since the Atlantic is a more difficult division, especially if the two-time defending champion Panthers get back on track. So I’m fading them as well.
Stanley Cup Contenders
The Hurricanes are one of my best bets to win the Stanley Cup this year. We get a discount on them at (+700) odds compared to the Avalanche (+240) and Lightning (+450). But this team is just as good as those, with playoff runs in recent years to boot. The Canes don’t have the same top-end talent, but you could argue that they’re more well-rounded. Best of all, Carolina will have an easier path through the postseason.
Stanley Cup Sleepers
While most will gravitate towards the Panthers as their preferred sleeper to win the Stanley Cup, especially since they’re the back-to-back defending champions, coming in at (+2200) odds, I’m staying away. This doesn’t feel like their year. Simply put, they’re too banged up after playing a ton of hockey over the last two seasons.
That’s why I’m riding with the Wild (+1600) as my sleeper pick. Since trading for Quinn Hughes, this team has taken their game to new heights. With Kirill Kaprizov and Brock Faber also on the team, there are enough building blocks on this roster to result in a deep playoff run. At (+1600) odds, this is a nice value.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
