After opening the season at +1000, the Florida Panthers are your 2024-25 Stanley Cup Champions. They only trail the Hurricanes in next year's odds.
History has a funny way of repeating itself.
The Florida Panthers conquered the Edmonton Oilers for the second year in a row, and opened at +750 to pull off the three-peat according to the 2026 Stanley Cup odds. Only the Carolina Hurricanes (+700) have shorter opening odds.
Here’s an early look at the NHL odds to hoist Lord Stanley’s hardware next season.
Odds courtesy of FanDuel as of 6-18.
You may be asking yourself why the Carolina Hurricanes are favored to win the Stanley Cup in 2026 after throwing up all over themselves again, but there is some sense to it.
Human beings play in the NHL — not robots — and three straight runs at the Cup won’t do Florida any favors next year. Pair wear-and-tear with the very real possibility the Panthers lose Sam Bennett, Aleksander Barkov, and Brad Marchand, and the road to the Stanley Cup Final becomes much brighter for the Canes.
As for who they’ll face, Edmonton has the best odds to make it out of the Western Conference… but the same wear-and-tear concerns apply to the Oilers. Also, let’s not kid ourselves… Edmonton isn’t winning a title with Stuart Skinner between the pipes.
Now that I’ve told you why the Hurricanes are favored, let me tell you why they aren’t winning. Because only one team can win the Cup, and the team to do that in 2026… will be the Toronto Maple Leafs.
WHOA WHOA WHOA WAIT A MINUTE! At least let me explain.
Toronto may be losing Mitch Marner, but the Leafs have $25 million in cap space to fill out the rest of their roster nicely, and an un-concussed Anthony Stolarz in net that was looking like a bona fide No. 1.
Don’t pretend like the Maple Leafs weren’t the only team to take Florida to seven. Don’t pretend like the Maple Leafs weren’t a Brad Marchand overtime goal away from a 3-0 lead.
Toronto will return with a deeper roster, and this time, the Cats won’t be clawing back. With a price tag of +2400, there’s simply too much value for me to pass up.
Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs (+2400)
Here is a look at how the 2024-25 Cup odds played out!
Highest ticket percentage:
• Maple Leafs: 11.0%
• Avalanche: 10.0%
• Oilers: 9.3%
Highest handle percentage:
• Maple Leafs: 12.1%
• Oilers: 11.4%
• Avalanche: 10.4%
Books breathed a sigh of relief when Florida won, as the Cats didn’t crack the Top 3 in either ticket handle or percentage.
Here are some trends you may want to consider before placing a bet on the Stanley Cup.
Despite losing in the Eastern Conference Finals again, books think next year may be the year for the Carolina Hurricanes. Following suit are familiar faces in Florida and Edmonton.
Here are the last 15 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.
As the Lightning appear set to fade a bit, the Panthers have reached consecutive Cup Finals and are favored to do it again next year.
The Habs have a comfortable lead in the clubhouse but haven’t hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup since 1993 — the last Canadian-based team to do so.
The Carolina Hurricanes opened as the favorites to win the Stanley Cup in 2026.
The Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks are all +50000 to win the Stanley Cup in 2026.
The Florida Panthers won their second Stanley Cup in a row in 2025, beating the Edmonton Oilers in six games.
The 2025 Stanley Cup Final will begin sometime in June.
Kyle LaRusic joined Covers in 2020 with a Holland College diploma in Journalism and a Mount Saint Vincent Degree in Public Relations. Stints at Amherst News and the Cape Breton Post helped sharpen his skills in a newsroom setting, while working for MSVU and Dalhousie’s athletic departments landed Kyle in his comfort zone.
Kyle has been an avid bettor for over five years, starting with just one Sports Interaction account before discovering both the beauty and importance of price shopping. bet365 and Pinnacle are his go to books, but accounts at 10+ sportsbooks give him an array of options. “Rusty” will bet on anything under the sun as long as there’s value and good reasoning behind it, but NHL and NFL are his two favorite leagues to watch and wager on — especially with friends.
Kyle’s biggest tip for any bettor is simple: gamble responsibly. Only bet what you’re willing to lose and make sure to install a proper bankroll method to keep track of your ROI. If you’re still dwelling on the amount you lost the next day, it’s time to decrease your spending.
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