Current NHL Stanley Cup Odds: Favourites & Contenders

Jim Tomlin Profile Picture
By Jim Tomlin
May 8, 2025 01:03pm
Fact Checked by Peter Mooney

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.

🏆 Stars+350📈
🥇 Hurricanes +350📈
🥈 Maple Leafs+450📈
🥉 Oilers+450📈
🏒 Panthers +950📉
🏒 Golden Knights+1000📉

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?

And then there were eight. The First Round has concluded, and eight teams are remaining. The Florida Panthers are the favorites to repeat, while the Carolina Hurricanes have the second-best odds. Oddsmakers believe the Stars will represent the West, while the Oilers have the second-best odds. The Golden Knights and Maple Leafs are sleepers, but are playing the representatives from last season's Stanley Cup. Ironically, the teams with the best regular-season records, the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals, have the lowest odds of winning the Stanley Cup. Who will emerge from the Second Round? 

Stanley Cup News

  • 📅 The Maple Leafs rally from another deficit to beat the Florida Panthers again, and now hold a 2-0 lead in their Best-of-7 Second Round Series with the defending champions. 
  • 📅 The Jets win an exciting double overtime Game 7 showdown with the St. Louis Blues, rallying from a 3-1 deficit to advance to the Second Round, where they will play the Stars.
  • 📅 The Stars rally from a 2-0 third-period deficit, scoring four goals, thanks to a hat trick from Mikko Rantanen, as the Stars player eliminates the Colorado Avalanche, his former team, to help Dallas advance to the Second Round.
  • 📅 The Oilers win their Best-of-7 First-Round Series against the Los Angeles Kings with a win in Game 6, finalizing a series that saw them come back from a 2-0 deficit. They will play the Vegas Golden Knights in the Second Round. 
  • 📅 The Maple Leafs win their Best-of-7 First-Round Series against the Ottawa Senators, advancing to the Second Round for a battle with the defending champion Florida Panthers. 
  • 📅 The Capitals win their Best-of-7 First-Round Series against the Montreal Canadiens, advancing to the Second Round for a showdown with the Carolina Hurricanes. 
  • 📅 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. 
  • 📅 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

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. Oettinger will get a good test against the Jets in the Second Round. 

  • ✅ 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. They also averaged three goals per game against the Avalanche in their series. 
  • ❌ 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.  

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers have a famed history in the league and are in a good position to win another Stanley Cup this season. Their strong defense, paired with some serious offensive point-scorers, makes for an intimidating combination for any team they face. 

  • ✅ 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. After a faulty first few games, the depth finally arrived in droves, with Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins exploding for multiple points in Game 6, propelling them to the next round. 
  • ❌ 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 2.93 goals per game while sporting an .893 save percentage. 

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. They shut down the Capitals in Game 1. 
  • ❌ Weaknesses: Although the Canes have scored many goals, they have struggled on the power play, finishing the regular season just 25th on the extra-man attack. They have also struggled to convert on their shooting opportunities this season, ranking 22nd in shooting percentage. 

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. So far, the defense has survived, escaping Game 1 with a victory despite allowing three third-period goals. 
  • ❌ 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. But the Leafs bounced back majorly in Game 6, as their secondary lines helped put the Senators away. 

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

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. It helped them set up a decisive Game 6, where they won the series and advanced to the Second Round. 
  • ❌ Weaknesses: The Golden Knights' certain defensive pairings have been inconsistent throughout the season, as shown in their 5-2 loss in Game 2. However, they tightened up in Game 6 and finished off the Wild. 

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 4-3 record with a 3.85 goals-against average and a save percentage of .830, an alarming trend as the Presidents' Trophy winners try to stay alive. Hellebuyck did enough to keep the Jets alive through two overtimes before they eventually won it. 
  • ❌ 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.  They had a power-play goal in Game 7 to help them make the comeback. 

Eastern Conference Stanley Cup Contenders

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 averaged 3.8 goals per game, torching the Lightning and Andrei Vasilevskiy in every occurrence except for Game 3. Additionally, their defense was remarkable, holding the NHL's leading scorer, Nikita Kucherov, to four total points while preventing him from scoring any goals. The defense stumbled in Game 1 against the Maple Leafs, allowing five goals, and again in Game 2, allowing four goals. 
  • ❌ 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. So far, it has not been an issue in the playoffs, but it could become one when facing better opponents. 

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. All four played a pivotal role in the elimination of the Montreal Canadiens in the First Round. 
  • ❌ 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. Regardless, they killed off the penalties they took in Game 5 to cement the win and the series. 

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.

From OntarioBets.com

Stanley Cup Odds for Local Teams

Stanley Cup FAQ

The Dallas Stars have the best odds to win the Stanley Cup, coming in at +350, according to DraftKings. The Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs,  Edmonton Oilers, and Florida Panthers 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.

Author

Jim Tomlin
Jim Tomlin

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.

Cited by leading media organizations, such as:

Toronto Sun Ottawa Sun Saltwire