The most exciting time of the NHL season is set to start soon. Here’s all you need to know about Stanley cup odds this season.
Stanley Cup Odds: Latest Updates
The odds for the Stanley Cup Playoffs are changing all the time. If you want to know what the latest odds are saying, you’re in the right place.
🏆 Hurricanes
+425
📈
🥇 Panthers
+500
📈
🥈 Golden Knights
+750
📈
🥉 Stars
+800
📈
🏒 Maple Leafs
+850
📉
🏒 Oilers
+900
📈
What are the current Stanley Cup odds?
Check out the odds table below for the latest odds for every NHL team to win the Stanley Cup this year.
Who is favoured to win the 2025 Stanley Cup?
Right now, there is a major logjam at the top of the odds. The Dallas Stars were favoured to take the Stanley Cup home this year after their blockbuster acquisition of Mikko Rantanen. But the odds have shifted recently after the Stars stumbled to end the season. Suddenly, the Stars don't look so hot, and the Avalanche and Hurricanes have emerged as the top contenders. The Stars finally broke their losing streak, and defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in Game 2, thanks to an overtime winner from Colin Blackwell. But after their win over the Avs in Game 3, neither team is among the favorites to win it.
Stanley Cup News
📅 The Hurricanes win their Best-of-7 First-Round Series with the New Jersey Devils 4-1, becoming the first team to advance to the Second Round.
📅 The Stars light up the Avalanche, beating them 6-2 in Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead in their Best-of-7 First-Round Series and switch places with them in the odds spaces.
📅 The Oilers rally from a 3-1 third-period deficit in Game 4 to tie it up, forcing overtime, before eventually winning it in the extra session, thanks to a power-play goal from Leon Draisaitl, to tie the First-Round Series at two games apiece.
📅 The Maple Leafs win an overtime thriller 3-2 in Game 3 to take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Ottawa Senators in their Best-of-7 First-Round Series.
📅 The Kings blast the Oilers 6-2, overwhelming them and taking a commanding 2-0 series lead, and putting the defending Western Conference champions in grave danger.
📅 The Maple Leafs blow a 2-0 lead to the Ottawa Senators before finishing them off with a dramatic overtime winner to take a 2-0 lead in their Best-of-7 First Round Series.
📅 The defending Western Conference champion Oilers rally from a 5-2 deficit to tie Game 1 with the Los Angeles Kings before falling to them in overtime.
📅 The Hurricanes take over the top spot in betting odds after throttling the New Jersey Devils in Game 1 of the First Round Series.
📅 The Maple Leafs make a statement in Game 1, firing three power-play goals en route to a 6-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators.
📅 Connor McDavid returns from his injury, leading the Oilers to a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues after netting three assists.
📅 Both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl suffered injuries that will keep them out until at least April. The Oilers' odds remain steady.
📅 Stanley Cup odds in March have the Dallas Stars as favourites to win at +650.
Stanley Cup Favourites
There’s a lot that goes into picking Stanley Cup favourites. Sports betting odds, player performance, team synergy, injuries and coaching are all integral factors. Let’s take a closer look at some of the favourites from each conference:
Western Conference Favourites
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights took home their first Stanley Cup at the end of the 2023 season. They still boast a strong lineup, and they stand a fair chance at the title two years later.
✅ Strengths: The Golden Knights boast a strong lineup down the middle, featuring centers like Jack Eichel, William Karlsson, and Tomas Hertl, providing both offensive firepower and defensive reliability. The depth helped propel the Golden Knights to a comeback victory in Game 4 and then a thrilling overtime win in Game 5, taking a 3-2 lead in their Best-of-7 First-Round series against the Minnesota Wild.
❌ Weaknesses: Certain defensive pairings for the Golden Knights have shown inconsistency throughout the season. It showed in a 5-2 loss in Game 2.
Dallas Stars
The Stars have had an incredible season this year, currently sitting among the top teams in the league. They might not have the top celebrities in the league, but that doesn’t mean they should be discounted. Goalie Jake Oettinger, in particular, plays a reliable game to shut down their opponents.
✅ Strengths: The Stars are favorites and near the top of the Central division by having depth at nearly every position, and just got even better with the acquisition of Mikko Rantanen. Oettinger is also one of the best goalies in the NHL. Oettinger was brilliant in Game 3, stopping 27 of 28 shots.
❌ Weaknesses: One of the Stars' biggest weaknesses is their power play, which finished the season 17th in the extra-man attack. They have had mixed results in this series against the Avalanche, going 3 for 10 on the power play. Scoring has been an issue in these playoffs, averaging just 2.6 goals over this series with the Avalanche.
Eastern Conference Favourites
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are still a top-5 Stanley Cup favourite, even after trading Mikko Rantanen away after an unsuccessful six-week stint. They will ride their special teams.
✅ Strengths: The Canes have consistently been remarkable on the penalty kill, finishing the season as the best at killing penalties. That will be important as the playoffs roll through. So far, they are perfect, killing all the penalties they have faced in the first two games. They finished their Best-of-7 First-Round Series with the New Jersey Devils by going killing all 15 penalties they faced.
❌ Weaknesses: Even though they have scored plenty of goals, they have struggled on the power play, finishing the regular season just 25th on the extra-man attack. The Canes also struggle to convert on their shooting opportunities this season, ranking 22nd in shooting percentage.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers have been a formidable force throughout the season. After winning its first Stanley Cup last year, the team has proven its strength and is hungry for another championship victory. Sam Reinhart leads the charge, being among the top goal-scorers in the league this year.
✅ Strengths: The Panthers are second in the Atlantic division with a powerful offensive attack led by veteran goal scorers. Additionally, the Panthers are seventh in goals, showcasing their depth across the four lines. This was on full display in Game 1, when the Cats went off for six goals. It has not been the story in the past two games, as they have tallied three total. And again in Game 4, when their depth helped propel them to a comeback victory to take a commanding 3-1 lead.
❌ Weaknesses: The Panthers have not always hit their shots. Despite usually taking the second-most shots in the league, the Panthers ranked just 28th in shooting percentage. Additionally, they were last in the league in total penalties, so that will be something to watch as the playoffs continue.
Stanley Cup Contenders
While they might not be the current favourites, these teams still have a good chance at contending for Stanley Cup Champion title. Many of the same factors for assessing contenders apply.
Western Conference Stanley Cup Contenders
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers have a famed history in the league and currently sit in a good position to take another Stanley Cup this season. Strong defense paired with some serious offensive point-scorers makes for an intimidating combination for any team they are up against.
✅ Strengths: The Oilers have one of the strongest offenses in the league, led by three-time Hart winner Connor McDavid and star Leon Draisaitl. They also possess a defense that can hold its own with the best, led by Evan Bouchard. They did a great job shutting down the Kings in Game 5, putting themselves up 3-2 in their Best-of-7 First-Round Series.
❌ Weaknesses: While having one of the best goal scorers in the league, Edmonton lacks overall depth when putting the puck in the net, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman suffering a dropoff from great campaigns last season. Stuart Skinner struggled mightily in Game 1, allowing six goals while making just 24 saves, and in Game 2, where he surrendered 23 goals on 28 shots before being pulled. Calvin Pickard has not been much better, allowing 2.62 goals per game while sporting a .904 save percentage.
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are not to be underestimated this year, especially with Mark Scheifele being a top goal-scorer in the league.
✅ Strengths: Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was exceptional this season, finishing 47-12-3 with a 2.00 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage, surpassing his Vezina Trophy-winning performance from last season. Hellebuyck has struggled in the postseason, with a 2-2 record with a 4.24 goals-against average and a save percentage of .817, an alarming trend as the Presidents' Trophy winners try to stay alive.
❌ Weaknesses: The Jets rely on special teams, raising concerns about their ability to maintain scoring momentum, especially if their power play experiences a downturn during the season or the playoffs. So far, it has hurt them, as they are 2 for 12 on the power play, and they are tied 2-2 in their series with the Blues.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche struggled to start the season but has bounced back, getting a boost from the mid-season acquisitions of Mackenzie Blackwood, Scott Wedgewood, Martin Necas, and Jack Drury.
✅ Strengths: The Avalanche has one of the best players in the world, Nathan MacKinnon, who, along with Cale Makar, leads an explosive offense that is always a threat to score. They have averaged three goals in their Best-of-7 First Round Series with the Stars.
❌ Weaknesses: The Avs were inconsistent on the penalty kill in the regular season, ranking 12th on the man disadvantage, while also having some defensive lapses earlier this season. They were sloppy in Overtime during Game 2, allowing the Stars to capitalize, and again in Game 3, when they allowed former Av Mikko Rantanen to lead a rush that led to the game-winning goal.
Eastern Conference Stanley Cup Contenders
Toronto Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs fans had a disappointing end to the season last year when the Boston Bruins eliminated the Leafs. Whether or not they have what it takes to make it all the way this year is to be seen.
✅ Strengths: Under new head coach Craig Berube, the Maple Leafs have prioritized defense, leading to improved attention to detail in their own zone compared to previous seasons. It has been effective through two games, as the Leafs have cut down on mistakes and played superior defense.
❌ Weaknesses: While top players like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner contribute significantly, the team has faced challenges with depth scoring. That proved to be the case in Game 5, as the Senators shut the Leafs down 4-0 to stay alive.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals have made a statement this season, dominating the Metropolitan Division with a blend of young emerging stars and Alexander Ovechkin, one of the greatest goal-scorers in the world.
✅ Strengths: The emergence of defensemen Dylan Strome, Aliaksei Protas, and Pierre-Luc Dubois has bolstered the Capitals, helping them rank at the top of the NHL in goals. Ovechkin has remained a threat after breaking Wayne Gretzky's goal record and capitalized in Game 1, scoring two goals, including his first-ever playoff game-winning goal.
❌ Weaknesses: The Capitals sometimes take too many penalties, which can stall their momentum and ultimately hurt them down the line. So far, they stayed disciplined, taking only eight penalty minutes in Game 1, and just six in Game 2. It was a burden in Game 4, as they had to kill off four penalties.
Tampa Bay Lightning
With Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Brandon Hagel on the offence, the Lightning are certainly a force. Whether the rest of the team has what it takes to take the Cup home is the real question.
✅ Strengths: Andrei Vasilevskiy remains a cornerstone in the net, finishing the regular season with a record of 38-20-5 with a 2.18 goals-against average and a save percentage of .921, providing the team with consistent and reliable performance. The Bolts also remain strong on the powerplay, ranking fourth on the extra-man attack. But that was nonexistent in Game 2, as the Bolts struggled to convert on five power-play chances.
❌ Weaknesses: The Lightning have faced challenges in taking penalties, which have often hindered their momentum in games. It proved to be detrimental in Game 1, as they allowed a power-play goal on all three penalty kills. Though they killed them all off in Game 3, the Bolts still took four penalties and were in the box too many times.
NHL Stanley Cup Longshots
Keep your eye on these teams. There’s still time before the Stanely Cup Playoffs kick off, and while they might not be at the top of the list for teams expected to win, hockey is a dynamic sport. These long shots very well might come out on top.
Western Conference Stanley Cup Longshots
Los Angeles Kings
Though not as high as the previously mentioned teams, the LA Kings shouldn’t be overlooked. Defenseman Drew Doughty has had a standout performance recently, especially in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
✅ Strengths: The Kings excelled defensively this season, ranking second in goals against, and have veteran leadership behind captain Anze Kopitar. They have kept that going in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, stifling Connor McDavid in Game 2.
❌ Weaknesses: The Kings have faced difficulties scoring this season, finishing the season ranked 14th in goals scored. Converting on the extra-man attack has also been an issue, as the Kings ranked just 27th on the power play. After exploding for goals over the first four games, the Kings came down to Earth in Game 5, getting just one against the Oilers at home.
Minnesota Wild
The Wild has been making changes to its roster recently, with the aim of further strengthening the team. Fans will be interested to see how this will play out later in the season.
✅ Strengths: The Wild have the best record on the road in the league behind goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who finished the regular season with a mark of 31-19-6 along with a goals-against average of 2.56 with a save percentage of .914. He was exceptional in Game 2, making 30 saves and allowing just two goals, and he made 42 saves on 46 shots in Game 4, despite allowing the game-winner.
❌ Weaknesses: The Wild have been inconsistent in the faceoff circle, with losses in critical situations leading to defensive vulnerabilities. That was not the case in Game 1, as they won 60 percent of the draws. Unfortunately, they won just 39 percent in Game 5, and it allowed the Golden Knights to capitalize on the game-winning goal.
St. Louis Blues
The Blues have evened their Best-of-7 First-Round Series with the Jets, and are on the verge of potentially pulling off the shocker of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
✅ Strengths: Despite being average in scoring during the regular season (13th), the Blues have exploded in the playoffs, tallying 16 goals over four games. Amazingly, 12 of those goals have come in two games in St. Louis, and all four lines have contributed to the scoring attack. Now, the Blues hope to sustain the scoring attack as the series shifts back to Winnipeg.
❌ Weaknesses: The Blues have struggled to shoot the puck effectively. Somehow, they have converted their lesser opportunities into goals in Games 3 and 4. But this won't always be the case. The Blues must find ways to get more shots on the net to give their shooters better chances of scoring consistently, especially if they are to steal a game in Winnipeg.
Eastern Conference Stanley Cup Longshots
Ottawa Senators
The Senators have officially clinched a playoff spot and will be starting the playoffs as the first wildcard. Finally, this team has taken that next step and will be playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
✅ Strengths: Goaltending and defense have been solid this season. The Sens finished the season ranked 13th in goals against, showcasing a vast improvement, highlighted by the addition of goaltender Linus Ullmark. They also did fairly well on the power play, ranking 11th in the NHL.
❌ Weaknesses: The Senators struggled to score all season, finishing with a rank of 18th in goals and 24th in shooting percentage. Furthermore, they also struggled to kill penalties, ranking 19th on the penalty kill. That hurt them enormously in this series, as their inability to kill penalties has put them in a 3-1 hole.
Betting Strategies
There are a number of fun ways to bet on the Stanley Cup this year. Different bet types offer bettors ways to focus on different aspects of the game. In this section, we’ll go through all the various bet types so you know what to expect.
Stanley Cup Futures Bets
While most bets entail betting on events right around the corner, future bets focus on events way down the line. Futures are most popular for major sporting events, like the Stanley Cup final. If you’re interested in betting futures for the Stanely Cup Playoffs, you should get to it sooner rather than later.
Stanley Cup Moneyline Bets
Moneyline bets are about as simple a bet as you can get. This bet type looks at who will be the outright winner of a match. Choose correctly, and you’ll have yourself a successful bet.
Stanley Cup Point Spread Bets
You can think of point spreads as more complicated versions of moneylines. In addition to considering which team will win, bettors must decide on the margin of victory for the winning team, which is the spread.
Stanley Cup Totals Bets
Totals, also known as over/unders, ask bettors to decide whether the total score of the game will be more or less than a number proposed by the sportsbook. Guess correctly, and your bet wins.
Stanley Cup Player Props
Player props are a fun way to bet on the Stanley Cup without having to think about which team will win the game. Instead, these bets are all about player performance, whether it’s goals scored or penalties.
Stanley Cup MVP Odds
Betting on the Stanley Cup MVP allows bettors to wager on who they think will be the most valuable player for the tournament. While star players might seem like an obvious pick, long-shots could earn you more winnings if you choose correctly.
Live Betting Odds For The Stanley Cup
Live betting is an exciting way to wager in real-time. Most bets must be placed before the start of a match, and are finalized once the game is finished. Live betting gives bettors the flexibility to bet at any time while taking into account dynamic odds that change throughout the game.
NHL Futures Betting
The Stanley Cup are a key focus of NHL futures betting. There are a few particular NHL futures that are particularly popular:
Outright Winner
If you’re confident in which team will take home the Stanley Cup this season, you can check out betting on the outright winner. Keep in mind, this bet requires a lot of long-term foresight, as team performance, injuries, and trades can all impact the outcome.
Winner of Each Conference
Betting on conference winners is a fun way to diversify your betting and focus on which teams will make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. It allows you to back a strong contender without needing them to win it all, making it a less risky but still rewarding futures bet.
Winner of Each Division
At an even smaller scale, NHL bettors can wager on which teams will finish on top of their divisions by the end of the regular season. While this is not directly a Stanley Cup Playoffs bet, it could inform your other Stanley Cup bets if you believe certain teams will perform particularly well.
Which teams will meet in the Stanley Cup
Which two teams will make the Stanley Cup Final is the question one of the main questions on everyone’s minds throughout the NHL season. If you have a dream matchup that you think has a good chance of making it, you can use this kind of future bet to put your instincts to the test.
Stanley Cup Trends
There has not been a dominant conference this century. Since 2000, Western Conference teams have won the Cup 13 times, and Eastern Conference teams have won 12 times.
Since 2000, the Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Chicago Blackhawks have each won three Cups. The Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils, and Los Angeles Kings have won two Cups, and the Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, and Las Vegas Golden Knights have won one Cup apiece this century.
Over the past 12 seasons, four teams were first-time Cup winners. The Los Angeles Kings (2012), Washington Capitals (2018), St. Louis Blues (2019), Vegas Golden Knights (2023), and Florida Panthers (2024) all won their first Cup.
The best team during the regular season rarely wins the Cup. The previous time the best team during the regular season won the Cup was 2012-13 when the Blackhawks did it.
Lower seeds pull upsets in the postseason. The Kings are the only No. 8 seed to win the Cup (in 2012), but plenty of other low seeds advance to the Cup Final. Just two seasons ago, the Florida Panthers advanced to the Cup Final after earning the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. In 2017, the Nashville Predators advanced to the Cup final as the final wild card from the Western Conference.
Stanley Cup Odds History
Its important to look at how betting odds have changed in history and what trends might be similar to this year,
Stanley Cup: 57 Line Moves
The end of the 2023-2024 season saw 57 line movements leading up to the Stanley Cup. This is a good example of how dynamic and volatile betting lines for the Stanley Cup Playoffs can be. Many things impact lines, including injuries, team performance, trades, coaching style, and more.
How have odds for previous Stanley Cup winners matched up with their performance?
Hockey is an incredibly dynamic sport, and tons of complex interactions can occur to change the trajectory of a team’s performance. The odds for Stanley Cup winners generally perform well for the top favourites, but keep in mind this is not always the case. For example, the Vegas Knights had +1800 preseason odds of taking the cup in 2023, and went on to win their first championship. Generally, the odds are more reflective closer to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Carolina Hurricanes have the best odds to win the Stanley Cup, coming in at +425, according to DraftKings. The Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Vegas Golden Knights have the next-best odds of taking home the most prestigious trophy in professional sports.
The Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup in 2024 in a 4-3 series win over the Edmonton Oilers. After going up 3-0, the Panthers lost three in a row before finally winning Game 7 and securing the franchise's first championship.
There are four rounds, each consisting of best-of-seven games. What does that mean? To win a series, a team has to win four games. The Stanley Cup Final starts in early June. While it is only a Best-of-7 series, with the off days, the Final can last as long as two full weeks.
The Montreal Canadiens are the team that has been crowned Stanley Cup champions the most. The franchise has won the Cup 24 times.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have gone 56 years without winning the Stanley Cup. They last won it in 1967.
The Stanley Cup is named after the former Canadian governor-general, Frederick Arthur Stanley. From 1884-86, he had the moniker of "Lord Stanley of Preston" in the Canadian-British colonies, and in 1892 he bequeathed a trophy to the country's best amateur hockey club. In 1909, it was awarded to professional teams in Canada and, in 1909 as part of the new National Hockey League, it was formally named the Stanley Cup.
The best sites to bet on the Stanley Cup Finals are ultimately up to you, and all of the regulated sportsbooks have well-run sites to bet on the Stanley Cup Futures. OntarioBets.com likes BetVictor and BetMGM for betting on the Stanley Cup.
Jim Tomlin is an editor and writer specializing in sports, gambling and the intersection of those industries. He has 30+ years of journalism experience and his work has appeared in the Tampa Bay Times, FanRag, Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition.
