With NFL games in full swing and the MLB postseason underway, the sports calendar is about to get even more crowded. The 2021-2022 NHL season kicks off on October 12, which means it’s time to make our 2022 Stanley Cup winner predictions and best bets.
With that in mind, let’s review the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Champion odds for these NHL playoff betting picks provided by Caesars Sportsbook.
2022 NHL Stanley Cup Champion Odds
Here are the top 16 betting favorites to lift the 2022 Stanley Cup trophy as of Monday, October 11:
- Colorado Avalanche (+550)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (+700)
- Vegas Golden Knights (+750)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (+1100)
- Boston Bruins (+1400)
- Carolina Hurricanes (+1800)
- New York Islanders (+2000)
- Florida Panthers (+2200)
- Pittsburgh Penguins (+2200)
- Edmonton Oilers (+2200)
- Minnesota Wild (+2500)
- New York Rangers (+2500)
- Washington Capitals (+2500)
- Montreal Canadiens (+3000)
- Dallas Stars (+3000)
- Philadelphia Flyers (+3000)
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The Colorado Avalanche are preseason betting favorites at +550, but they’ll face stiff competition from the Vegas Golden Knights (+750) within their own division.
The Florida Panthers (+2200) are hardly a sleeper pick but could surprise given the talent they’ve added. Their season will likely hinge on how goaltenders Spencer Knight and Sergei Bobrovsky perform this year.
The Montreal Canadiens aren’t getting much respect at +3000 after reaching the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals. They certainly deserve more attention given their recent success.
Lastly, don’t forget the Dallas Stars (+3000), who were two games and a few healthy players away from winning the Stanley Cup in 2020. A fully healthy Dallas team will be dangerous if they can keep their best players on the ice.
Here are the 16 teams initially expected to miss the postseason:
- Winnipeg Jets (+4000)
- Calgary Flames (+4000)
- St. Louis Blues (+4000)
- Chicago Blackhawks (+5000)
- Seattle Kraken (+5000)
- New Jersey Devils (+6000)
- Nashville Predators (+6000)
- Vancouver Canucks (+6000)
- Los Angeles Kings (+8000)
- San Jose Sharks (+8000)
- Ottawa Senators (+12500)
- Columbus Blue Jackets (+12500)
- Anaheim Ducks (+15000)
- Arizona Coyotes (+15000)
- Buffalo Sabres (+20000)
- Detroit Red Wings (+20000)
The most obvious surprise here is the Seattle Kraken at +5000 given that this is their first year in existence. Granted, the Golden Knights made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2018, but this Seattle squad is built differently and appears to be over-hyped.
The New Jersey Devils are also trending up, as their odds improved from +10000 to +6000 following free agency. Adding Dougie Hamilton was a big get for them, but perhaps not enough to vault them into the postseason.
Will the Seattle Kraken hit the ground running and make the 2021-2022 NHL playoffs in their inaugural season? (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
2022 NHL Stanley Cup Champion Sleeper Bet Picks
Nashville Predators To Win 2022 Stanley Cup (+6000)
The Nashville Predators were one of the hottest teams in the second half last year. With Juuse Saros taking over the reins in goal, Nashville surged to a playoff berth and proved to be a very tough out against the Carolina Hurricanes.
If Nashville finds a way to drop some of the dead weight from its roster and improves its special teams in any meaningful way, look out.
This team is at a crossroads, however, making this a bit of a risky pick. One or two wrong moves by David Poile could blow this prediction up.
Dallas Stars To Win 2022 Stanley Cup (+3000)
As mentioned above, health is the biggest factor for Dallas this season. If Rick Bowness has a healthy team, they could very well be Stanley Cup finalists.
With Tyler Seguin fully recovered and raring to go, Dallas has the makeup of a team that can make some noise in the postseason. If Anton Khudobin can find his 2020 form once more, the Stars will be even more dangerous.
It will be interesting to see how their goaltending situation plays out, however, as that has the potential to make or break their season. That said, Dallas has the ability to go on a deep run, giving this wager plenty of upside.
2022 NHL Stanley Cup Champion Prediction
Florida Panthers To Win 2022 Stanley Cup (+2200)
The season returning to a full 82-game schedule could favor a deep team like the Florida Panthers. Don’t be surprised if Spencer Knight takes the conch and runs with it in goal. With Florida loaded in all other facets, it comes down to the backstop for them.
The Panthers are also getting a healthy Aaron Ekblad back on the blue line. If things break right, they could wind up playing the Stars in the Stanley Cup Final.
My bold prediction for this NHL bet of the day has Florida winning the Stanley Cup for Joe Thornton in seven games.
