NHL betting is back on the board with Stanley Cup odds to hoist the trophy for the 2020-21 season. We're not fully sure of what the new hockey season will look like, or when it will begin, but hockey bettors can still get in on the early NHL futures odds action.
Let's look at the updated odds to win the Stanley Cup.
Who is the favorite to win the Stanley Cup?
The Colorado Avalanche remain the off-season Stanley Cup favorites for the 2020-21 season at +750. The Avs have a talented young core of star players, led by Hart Trophy runner-up Nathan MacKinnon, and are looking to bounce back from an upset loss by the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Semifinals.
After the Vegas Golden Knights landed the biggest fish in free agency, star defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, they have jumped up to second on the odds board at +800. The Golden Knights were the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference but were also upset by Dallas, with their exit coming in the Western Conference Finals.
The Tampa Bay Lightning (+900), fresh off their second Stanley Cup in franchise history, are third on the odds board, followed by the Boston Bruins (+1,450), Philadelphia Flyers (+1,500) and Toronto Maple Leafs (+1,500).
At the bottom of the 2020-21 Stanley Cup odds board are the Ottawa Senators (+17,500) and Detroit Red Wings (+30,000).
Odds to win the Stanley Cup
| Team | NHL Odds to win Stanley Cup (as of November 15) |
|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche | +750 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +800 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +900 |
| Boston Bruins | +1,400 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | +1,500 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +1,600 |
| St. Louis Blues | +1,700 |
| Washington Capitals | +1,700 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +2,000 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | +2,000 |
| Dallas Stars | +2,200 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +2,300 |
| Calgary Flames | +2,500 |
| Nashville Predators | +2,700 |
| New York Islanders | +2,700 |
| New York Rangers | +2,700 |
| Florida Panthers | +3,200 |
| Vancouver Canucks | +3,500 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +3,700 |
| Buffalo Sabres | +5,000 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | +5,000 |
| Montreal Canadiens | +5,000 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | +5,500 |
| San Jose Sharks | +5,500 |
| Los Angeles Kings | +5,500 |
| Minnesota Wild | +5,500 |
| Anaheim Ducks | +6,000 |
| Arizona Coyotes | +6,000 |
| New Jersey Devils | +8,500 |
| Ottawa Senators | +17,500 |
| Detroit Red Wings | +30,000 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings
Past Stanley Cup Winners
The Tampa Bay Lightning claimed Lord Stanley's grail last season in the COVID-19 bubble. The Lightning were favorites, or co-favorites with the Vegas Golden Knights, for most of the 2019-20 season.
Here are the last 11 winners of the Stanley Cup, their odds of winning just before the playoffs began (courtesy of Sports Odds History), and the team that lost in the Stanley Cup Finals.
| Season | Stanley Cup Winners | Odds before playoffs | Runner Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | Tampa Bay Lightning | +650 | Dallas Stars |
| 2018-19 | St. Louis Blues | +1,250 | Boston Bruins |
| 2017-18 | Washington Capitals | +1,225 | Vegas Golden Knights |
| 2016-17 | Pittsburgh Penguins | +770 | Nashville Predators |
| 2015-16 | Pittsburgh Penguins | +650 | San Jose Sharks |
| 2014-15 | Chicago Blackhawks | +800 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2013-14 | Los Angeles Kings | +1,400 | New York Rangers |
| 2012-13 | Chicago Blackhawks | +400 | Boston Bruins |
| 2011-12 | Los Angeles Kings | +2,200 | New Jersey Devils |
| 2010-11 | Boston Bruins | +800 | Vancouver Canucks |
| 2009-10 | Chicago Blackhawks | +450 | Philadelphia Flyers |
Understanding Stanley Cup Odds
Sportsbooks will post odds to win the Stanley Cup before the season starts. These odds are constantly adjusted throughout the offseason as players get hurt, suspended or are traded. Once the regular season begins, title odds will change daily as teams win and lose games and as more players get hurt, suspended or traded. Sportsbooks will also adjust the NHL futures odds based on handle and liability to certain teams.
Stanley Cup odds will usually look like this:
- Colorado Avalanche +750
This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to win $750 if the Avs win the Stanley Cup. If it's close to the end of the regular season or even during the playoffs and the NHL has a very dominant team, you might see that a team is has a minus sign (-) ahead of its odds.
- Tampa Bay Lightning -120
This means that you would need to bet $120 to win $100 on a Lightning Stanley Cup win.
Above we have posted the American odds for the Stanley Cup. However, these are easy to convert to decimal odds or fractional odds with our odds converter tool.
Where can I bet on NHL Stanley Cup odds?
With the 2020-21 season still a bit of an unknown, not every online sportsbook and casino has Stanley Cup futures odds posted. Check out the top sportsbooks in your region and see what they are offering for NHL betting.
