With its illustrious history and incredible legacy, the Stanley Cup is the greatest trophy in all of sports. With the NHL season now upon us, what better time to look at the latest Stanley Cup odds and see which teams have a shot at winning hockey’s greatest prize.
While futures betting takes a bit of patience, it’s a great way to turn your hockey predictions into cold, hard cash. By locking in your picks months in advance, you can land the best odds and biggest potential payout. This season is sure to see plenty of twists and turns, so don’t be surprised if today’s sleeper pick pays off big down the road.
From the top contenders to the overlooked longshots, there are a handful of NHL teams that stand out as great value picks for bettors. Let’s take a look at some of the best Stanley Cup betting options and see which teams are worth backing on the ice this season.
Coming off back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, Oilers fans are praying this is the year the team can finally get the job done. It helps that Edmonton has two of the best hockey players on the planet in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The rest of this roster had a fair bit of turnover in the offseason, acquiring role players like Andrew Mangiapane and Isaac Howard to provide much-needed depth. The big question marks come on the back end, where they’ll need more consistent play from their defence corps and goaltender Stuart Skinner if they want to hoist the Cup.
Carolina has excellent depth up front and got even stronger with the addition of Nikolaj Ehlers. They’re equally balanced on the back end and have a quality coach in Rod Brind’Amour. Their biggest weakness is between the pipes; Frederik Andersen has struggled to stay healthy, while Pyotr Kochetkov has yet to establish himself as a top-tier NHL netminder. With some quality goaltending, the Hurricanes could become this year’s team to beat. They’ve made it to the conference finals in two of the past three seasons and that experience could help them finally break through this season.
Tampa Bay is no stranger to Stanley Cup success, having won back-to-back titles just a few years back. The Lightning are loaded with offensive talent, including Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel and last season’s Art Ross Trophy winner, Nikita Kucherov. Tampa Bay’s biggest priority heading into the season is staying healthy. They’re already dealing with injuries to their No. 1 defenceman, Victor Hedman, and their starting goaltender, Andrei Vasilevskiy. If the Lightning can survive the regular season intact, this is a veteran team that knows what it takes to win in the playoffs.
Winnipeg put up an NHL-best 116 points last season and now look to build on that success. They’ll have to ride out a tough start with Adam Lowry and Cole Perfetti both working their way back from injury, but the addition of Jonathan Toews and rookie Nikita Chibrikov will go a long way. At the end of the day, this team’s Stanley Cup chances rest with goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Last year’s Hart Trophy winner is the driving force behind the Jets and they’ll need him at his best when it matters most.
Another popular longshot to win this year’s Stanley Cup, the Wild are loaded with young talent hungry to take the next step. Minnesota’s Stanley Cup hopes are tied to franchise player Kirill Kaprizov, but the team bolstered their depth by re-signing Nico Sturm and adding Vladimir Tarasenko. The Wild have several skilled, young defencemen like Brock Faber and Zeev Buium, as well as a capable netminder in Filip Gustavsson. Minnesota has made the playoffs in five of the past six seasons and are overdue for a serious run at the Stanley Cup.
The Habs may be a longshot to win this year’s Stanley Cup, but few teams are starting the season with as much hype as the Canadiens. Montreal surprised just about everyone last season by making the playoffs and they’re looking to keep that momentum going. The Habs aren’t short on skill players, with Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hutson capable of creating highlight-reel moments regularly. Combined with rookie forward Ivan Demidov and newly-acquired defenceman Noah Dobson, you’ve got an electric, young lineup that could make some real noise come playoff time.
With the 2025-26 NHL season now underway, the quest for the Cup has officially begun. Every NHL team gets a fresh start and an opportunity to make history. For sports bettors, now’s the time to study the league’s top teams and lock in the best possible value. The Stanley Cup betting odds can shift quickly, with hot starts, key injuries or big trades having a major impact. Looking for the best value on your NHL futures? Head to Bodog for Stanley Cup odds on all 32 NHL clubs. Whether you’re looking to lock in the best price on a frontrunner or trying to score a massive payout on an unlikely longshot, this year’s Stanley Cup futures market is loaded with betting options.