Last NHL season The Florida Panthers made history by clinching back-to-back Stanley Cup titles, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in six games—marking their dominion over the league. The Oilers once again fell just short. Meanwhile, Colorado, Carolina, and Vegas all showed toughness but ultimately couldn’t break through in the postseason.
Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas (7) looks to clear away a rebound in front of goalie Sergi Bobrovsky – Photo by Jack Lima
Setting the Betting Landscape
According to ESPN’s futures page, as of now the Panthers lead the betting board at +600, followed by Carolina and Colorado (both +800), then Edmonton (+850), Vegas (+850), and Dallas at +1000.
An ESPN BET report from June confirms that Florida, Edmonton, and Colorado are viewed as co-favorites, each opening near +700.. Notably, Reuters reports that DraftKings and BetMGM favor the Oilers at +650, while FanDuel places Carolina at +700, even over Florida despite their consecutive championships.
According to the sports betting news portal Vedonlyöntisivut.fi, newer betting sites especially are offering boosted odds on NHL.
Who Are the Favorites and Why?
Florida Panthers (+600 to +700)
As reigning back-to-back champions, Florida remains the franchise to beat. With core leaders like Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand—and a sturdy defensive group anchored by Aleksander Barkov—the team is peaking at the perfect time.
Edmonton Oilers (+650 to +850)
Edmonton is chasing redemption. With McDavid and Draisaitl still in their primes, they boast one of the most dangerous offensive tandems in hockey. However, questions linger about depth and stability—yet markets like DraftKings still have belief in their potential
Colorado Avalanche (+800)
The Avs continue to boast elite talent—none bigger than Norris Trophy-winning blueliner Cale Makar. When healthy, Colorado is arguably the most complete team, blending high-end offense with dominant puck possession traits.
Carolina Hurricanes (+800 to +700)
Consistency has been Carolina’s calling card—cruising through the regular season and stifling opponents with depth and structure. Oddsmakers’ confidence (FanDuel naming them outright favorites at +700 in some markets) underscores their steadiness.
Vegas Golden Knights (+850)
A team that’s often one savvy move away from being in the mix, Vegas added Mitch Marner to an already lethal core. Their playoff-first mindset and flexibility make them perennial threats.
Dallas Stars (+1000 to +900)
Dallas is quietly dangerous and offers great value. Their nucleus now includes a strong Finnish influence—a real strength when the pressure mounts. The roster features Mikko Rantanen, Roope Hintz, Esa Lindell, Miro Heiskanen, and Mikael Granlund—the so-called “Finnish Mafia”. Rantanen’s midseason blockbuster trade and subsequent playoff surge (19 postseason points and a record-setting scoring run) further elevated Dallas’s Cup hopes.
Betting Trends & Key Insight
Recent postseasons have been extraordinarily “chalky”—upsets are scarce, and favorites typically advance deep.With most contenders opening under 10/1 odds, markets suggest it’s wise to bet among the upper tier. That dynamic makes a third-straight Florida win more plausible—and challengers like Edmonton, Colorado, Carolina, and Dallas all bring compelling cases.
In Short
Florida remains the team to beat and the betting favorite, but challengers are plenty. Edmonton’s narrative of redemption, Colorado’s balanced excellence, Carolina’s consistency, Vegas’s adaptability, and Dallas’s Finnish power core all set the stage for one of the most intriguing Cup races in years.
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