Hockey season is here!
After the long offseason, puck drops on the 2025-26 NHL season on Tuesday night. It’s sure to be another 82-game grind with plenty of ups and downs throughout the season, but who will come out on top in the end?
The Florida Panthers are looking for a rare three-peat after winning the Stanley Cup in the last two years, but they face an uphill battle with multiple injuries throughout the lineup. Will that open the door for the Edmonton Oilers to finally lift the Cup?
Or will there be a new team in the Stanley Cup Final after two straight Oilers vs. Panthers matchups?
Let’s take a look at the latest odds to win the Stanley Cup before the season gets underway this week.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Stanley Cup Contenders
Since the Carolina Hurricanes hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup with +6000 preseason odds in 2006, only one team (the St. Louis Blues in 2019) has won the Cup with odds longer than +2000 before the season.
That should be the case again this year.
These are the nine teams with a real chance of winning the Stanley Cup this season, and it could maybe even be whittled down a bit further.
The Carolina Hurricanes are preseason favorites, but they still have question marks in the crease. The same goes for the Edmonton Oilers, who are hoping they can find an answer between the pipes to help Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to the Stanley Cup.
For my money, I would take the Dallas Stars at +1000 out of this group. They’ve made the Western Conference Final in three straight years and have the depth at forward and defense, plus Jake Oettinger in net, to finally get over the hump after adding Mikko Rantanen last season.
In the Hunt for the Stanley Cup
Most of these teams made the playoffs last year, or the year prior, with the Utah Mammoth looking to join them this season.
It would be quite surprising if any of these teams won the Stanley Cup, but there is a path for most – if not all – of them.
Maybe the Kings finally put it all together in Anze Kopitar’s last season. Could Connor Hellebuyck carry his regular-season success into the playoffs one time? The Wild just made Kirill Kaprizov the highest-paid player in the league, and for good reason.
If I had to take a stab at one of these teams, it would be the Wild at +4000. They were one of the best teams when healthy last season and played the Golden Knights tough in the first round. Kaprizov is one of the best players in the world and Filip Gustavsson could get hot in net.
Stanley Cup Longshots
Most of these teams are just happy to be mentioned in the same breath as the Stanley Cup.
Could one of them surprise and go on a Cinderella run? Sure, anything can happen. But it would be truly shocking to see.
If you twisted my arm and made me pick one, maybe the Predators at +7000 or Bruins at +15000 if you want a real longshot. They both have great goaltenders in Juuse Saros and Jeremy Swayman as well as a top-tier forward or two, but not much in between.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Register with DraftKings today and get $200 in bonus bets instantly if you win your first bet. Claim this DraftKings Sportsbook promo code offer by making a $5 deposit, applying your bonus token, and winning your first $5 wager.
