After a fast start to the 2021-22 season, the mid-way point is quickly approaching.
We’re entering the New Year, and Stanley Cup futures odds continue to heat up. How do the back-to-back champs stack up against the other teams at the top of the Stanley Cup odds board? Where have the Toronto Maple Leafs settled after their ridiculous stretch of hockey?
Let’s find out with the latest 2021-22 NHL odds to win the Stanley Cup.
Odds to win the Stanley Cup
Odds below are up-to-date and reflect the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks and live within a five-minute delay. Compare NHL futures odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Stanley Cup favorites
Colorado Avalanche (+550)
The Colorado Avalanche remains favorites to win the Stanley Cup at +550 odds. Colorado lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup quarterfinals last season after winning the President's Trophy with the best regular-season record, but that hasn’t stopped it from staying at the top of the board. The Avs were a trendy pick to win last year and though they’ve gotten off to a slow start, that should remain the same. Star center Nathan MacKinnon returned from injury on Dec. 1 after missing nearly a month with a lower-body injury and has tallied 25 points in 15 games since. The Avs sit at 22-8-3-0.
Tampa Bay Lightning (+750)
Tied in the No. 2 spot at +750 is the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning has quickly jumped the standings after a 3-3 start - they are now 24-9-2-3 and are tied with Florida atop the Atlantic Division with 53 points. Nikita Kucherov returned to the lineup last week for the first time since mid-October and tallied five points in three games.
Toronto Maple Leafs (+750)
The Toronto Maple Leafs are also available at +750 after putting together a month-plus of league-best hockey in November and December. They now have a 23-8-2-1 record and are led by Hart Trophy candidate Auston Matthews, who's tallied 37 points in 31 games (23 goals, 14 assists).
Vegas Golden Knights (+800)
The Vegas Golden Knights, who have lost four of their last five, have fallen to the No. 3 spot on the Stanley Cup odds board. They're 23-14-1-1 on the season and still leading the way in the Pacific Division, three points ahead of Anaheim.
Florida Panthers (+900)
The Panthers were one of the hottest teams to start the season, cooled down for a stretch but are now 6-3-1 in their last 10. Jonathan Huberdeau leads their group of forwards with 47 points in 36 games.
Grouped up behind the Top 5 are the Carolina Hurricanes (+1,400), Washington Capitals (+1,700), Minnesota Wild (+1,800), and Pittsburgh Penguins (+1,800).
A shock to the board is the Montreal Canadiens, finalists in last season’s Stanley Cup. They’re off to a horrid 7-23-4 start and have seen their Stanley Cup odds drop from +1,600, where they opened, all the way down to +50,000.
Past Stanley Cup winners
The Tampa Bay Lightning claimed Lord Stanley's grail last season in the COVID-19 bubble. The Lightning were at or near the top of the Stanley Cup odds board throughout the 2020-21 season, along with the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights.
Here are the last 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | Tampa Bay Lightning | +800 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 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 |
How to read Stanley Cup odds
Sportsbooks will post NHL futures odds before the season starts — including odds to win the Stanley Cup. 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.
Stanley Cup Odds FAQs
Who has the best odds to win the Stanley Cup?
The Colorado Avalanche have the best odds to win the Stanley Cup. They are on the board at +550.
Who won the Stanley Cup last year?
The Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2021 with preseason odds of +850. They're on the board to repeat this year at +750.
Which Canadian NHL team has the best odds to win the Stanley Cup?
The Toronto Maple Leafs, available at +750, are second on the Stanley Cup odds board and have the highest odds of any Canadian team.
