Early Look at Stanley Cup Odds for Every NHL Team
It's the view that every NHL team wishes it had.
The Vegas Golden Knights ascended to the top of the hockey mountain in early June when they vanquished the Florida Panthers in five games and earned the first Stanley Cup in the expansion franchise's brief but successful six-year history.
But as a new season approaches, the onus is on the champs to repeat.
Meanwhile, 31 other teams will be angling to keep that from happening, though some certainly seem more likely to be in a decisive position than others.
The good people at DraftKings have their minds on that scramble for supremacy even in the dead of summer, in the form of updated odds for each team to be the one hoisting the silver chalice by the time the calendar flips back to late spring.
The B/R hockey team crunched the numbers and divided the wannabe 2023-24 champions into a series of tiers ranging from those with little realistic hope to those who'll consider the season a failure if they're not the ones planning a mid-year parade.
Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought of your own in the comments.
Playing for Lottery Positioning
1 of 5
32. Montreal Canadiens (+25000)
Oh, the humanity. Seeing the league's all-time winningest franchise at the bottom of the likely champions list is surely a jolt to some. But let's face it, Cup No. 25 is not coming this season.
31. San Jose Sharks (+25000)
General manager Mike Grier is clearly stripping down to the studs before trying to rebuild. Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson was dealt on Sunday, leaving a draft lottery team behind.
30. Anaheim Ducks (+25000)
There's a new coach in Greg Cronin and a multiple Cup winner in center Alex Killorn. But no, he won't be winning another this season. Simply edging closer to .500 would be a positive.
29. Arizona Coyotes (+25000)
Though defenseman Matt Dumba was a headline-grabbing signing last week, he won't be the missing link to a long Cup run. Instead, Arizona is in the Macklin Celebrini derby.
28. Chicago Blackhawks (+20000)
No, even the arrival of Connor Bedard will not put the Blackhawks in the championship mix. Certainly not immediately anyway. Hockey in Chicago will be better but not transcendent.
27. Philadelphia Flyers (+15000)
The Flyers will not end a Cup drought reaching back to 1975. The good news? The NFL's Eagles will divert attention.
26. Columbus Blue Jackets (+15000)
No one's expecting a title in middle Ohio this season but it's got to be better than last season's disaster after the ballyhooed arrival of Johnny Gaudreau. Better, but still not quite relevant.
Stuck in Mediocrity
2 of 5
25. Washington Capitals (+7500)
The Capitals are considered twice as likely to win a title as the Flyers or Blue Jackets, but that doesn't mean it's happening. Still, Alex Ovechkin makes them worth watching.
24. Detroit Red Wings (+7500)
Another year of the Yzerplan under GM and franchise legend Steve Yzerman. The arrival of Alex DeBrincat should yield a longer sniff at a playoff berth, though the title is still a ways off.
23. Nashville Predators (+7500)
Barry Trotz was a perennially successful coach with what could generously be labeled a dullish style. But he's claiming entertainment is a priority now that he's a GM. Stay tuned.
22. St. Louis Blues (+7500)
The Blues (2019) join Washington (2018) in this tier while still in the long-term afterglow of championships. The problem is, guys like Vlad Tarasenko and Ryan O'Reilly are long gone.
21. Vancouver Canucks (+6000)
The Canucks seemed pointed in the right direction under Bruce Boudreau at the end of 2021-22, but he was out by the middle of last season as the team barely scraped to .500.
Dark Horses
3 of 5
20. New York Islanders (+5000)
There's a fine line between mediocrity and dark horse, but the Islanders fall on the right side of it thanks to a core of talent including Mat Barzal and Ilya Sorokin, who are locked up for the long term.
19. Winnipeg Jets (+5000)
Lest anyone forget, the Jets did finish well over .500 with 46 wins last season and then followed it by getting Gabe Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari for an unhappy Pierre-Luc Dubois.
18. Ottawa Senators (+4000)
GM Pierre Dorion was a winner in the 2021-22 offseason and followed with another strong showing, getting Vladimir Tarasenko for a year. If Joonas Korpisalo pans out, the grade goes up.
17. Buffalo Sabres (+3500)
The Sabres ran close to Florida for much of the season before falling off and watching the Panthers get to the Cup Final. If you're shopping for long-term futures, here's one to invest in.
16. Seattle Kraken (+3500)
It wasn't on the level of the Golden Knights when it comes to expansion success, but the Kraken's jump from 60 points to 100 was impressive. It's tough to pick them in the West, though.
15. Calgary Flames (+3500)
It wouldn't take much to argue that the Flames are mislabeled here, but they were a division champ in 2021-22. If Jonathan Huberdeau bounces back with a new coach, so will Calgary.
14. Minnesota Wild (+3000)
The Wild are the definition of a marginal, dark-horse contender. They make the playoffs every season but have two series wins in 20 years. Maybe they'll emerge, but probably not.
.png?w=256 "NHL Mock Draft")
.jpg?w=256 "Kucherov Landing Spots")
.png?w=256)
Possible Contenders
4 of 5
13. Pittsburgh Penguins (+2800)
A week ago, maybe not. But a roster with Erik Karlsson alongside names like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin inspires more confidence. Goaltending will determine eventual success.
12. Los Angeles Kings (+2800)
The Kings had 47 wins and 104 points last season but ran into a strong Edmonton team in the playoffs. The long-term deal with Dubois got mixed reviews and there's still no elite goalie.
11. Tampa Bay Lightning (+2000)
The Lightning still find their way to relevance on muscle memory alone. And any team that still has Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy ought to be taken seriously.
10. Boston Bruins (+1600)
Say a prayer for the Bruins fan in your life. Not only did a record-setting season devolve into a playoff punchline, but Patrice Bergeron finally skated away, too. Good, but trending poorly.
9. Florida Panthers (+1600)
How much was springtime magic? We'll see this season as the Panthers return after an extended playoff stay. One thing seems sure: Matthew Tkachuk was a wise investment.
8. Dallas Stars (+1400)
It wouldn't be a stretch to suggest the Stars deserve to level up to "True Contender" billing, but they at least belong here after a run to the Western Conference Final. A title run would be no shock.
7. New York Rangers (+1300)
On the flip side, perhaps the Rangers are a bit overvalued. They went all-in for a Cup last season and were bounced early. That said, a Vezina-quality goalie in Igor Shesterkin does break a lot of ties.
True Cup Contenders
5 of 5
6. Vegas Golden Knights (+1200)
You've got to give respect to the champs and there's no real reason to believe they won't be squarely in the mix once again. After those playoffs, Jack Eichel is a genuine superstar.
5. Colorado Avalanche (+1000)
You'd have felt pretty confident wagering on the Avs to repeat after their dominant 2021-22 run, but injuries were a constant issue. If they're healthy, they're still as good as anyone.
4. Edmonton Oilers (+1000)
Oilers fans claim they've been the second-best playoff team for two seasons. Which is worth precisely nothing. Connor McDavid ensures relevance. But it's all about Jack Campbell in net.
3. New Jersey Devils (+900)
As good as your GM has been over the last two seasons, Tom Fitzgerald has been better. The Devils went from 28th overall to third and added Tyler Toffoli to a talented forward group. If they get Connor Hellebuyck at or before the deadline, reserve a parade seat.
2. Toronto Maple Leafs (+900)
Cringe if you'd like given generations of failure, but the Maple Leafs still boast as elite a level of top-end talent as anyone in the league and they added Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi. If they're healthy and Ilya Samsonov plays to career numbers, they're surely in the mix.
1. Carolina Hurricanes (+800)
Perhaps the Hurricanes have finally tired of sniffing on the title-winning periphery. Carolina has one of the league's longest active playoff streaks but hasn't seen a Cup final since 2006. That could change after a haul that included newcomers Dmitry Orlov and Michael Bunting and holdover goalies Antti Raanta and Frederik Andersen. It's their offseason title to lose.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).
21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
.png?w=480 "NHL Mock Draft")
.jpg?w=480 "Kucherov Landing Spots")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
