The 2025-26 NHL season is in full swing, so there’s no better time to check in on who will win the Stanley Cup.
Can the Florida Panthers repeat as champions yet again? Or will Connor McDavid lead the Oilers for his first ring?
Let’s dig into the latest odds and make our 2025-26 Stanley Cup predictions.
NHL Stanley Cup Winner Odds 2026
NHL odds referenced below are current as of Monday, Jan. 19, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Here is a list of the top 10 teams in odds to win the Stanley Cup for the 2025-26 season.
- Colorado Avalanche (+270)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (+650)
- Carolina Hurricanes (+700)
- Las Vegas Golden Knights (+800)
- Florida Panthers (+950)
- Edmonton Oilers (+950)
- Dallas Stars (+1300)
- Minnesota Wild (+2000)
- Washington Capitals (+2200)
- Los Angeles Kings (+4000)
It’s no surprise to see the Colorado Avalanche as heavy favorites. They’re on a record-setting pace, led by superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.
But we can’t count out the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are back in top form as one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now. The Carolina Hurricanes are always lingering, while the Las Vegas Golden Knights just made a key trade acquisition.
The race for the Stanley Cup is as wide-open as ever, so there are always opportunities to find value in your NHL futures bets. With that in mind, let’s break it all down for you.
Who Will Win the Stanley Cup 2026?
Carolina Hurricanes (+700)
The Hurricanes have been one of the best teams in the NHL for the last couple of years, but they haven’t been able to get over the hump. This may finally be their year, as they’re a well-rounded team that should have an easier path in the playoffs.
The Metropolitan Division is one of the weakest in the NHL, so the Canes may get to face the Penguins or Islanders in the first couple of rounds. Meanwhile, other contenders have much tougher tests.
Considering that potential path, I like the value on Carolina at +700 odds as one of my NHL best bets today.
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Stanley Cup Favorites 2026
Colorado Avalanche (+270)
The Avalanche are having one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory, but we all know how Presidents’ Trophy winners often fall short in the playoffs.
That doesn’t mean that I think Colorado won’t get it done, but it’s still worth pointing out.
I’m not a fan of the (+270) price, especially with how unpredictable the NHL playoffs can be, so I’m fully avoiding the Avs in this futures market.
Tampa Bay Lightning (+650)
The Lightning have the Stanley Cup experience to go along with a well-rounded roster. After a couple of down seasons, they look like the class of the Atlantic Division once again.
The reason why I prefer the Hurricanes in the East is due to what is likely to be an easier path throughout the playoffs. The Lightning may have to go through the back-to-back defending champion Panthers in their playoff run.
For that reason, I’m a bit hesitant to take the Lightning. However, if we’re picking among the favorites, they definitely look like the better value than the Avalanche.
Stanley Cup Contenders 2026
Las Vegas Golden Knights (+800)
The Golden Knights added Mitch Marner to go along with Jack Eichel, forming an elite one-two punch on their top line. While they haven’t been as dominant as initially expected, we’re starting to see them heat up.
Additionally, you have to love their recent pickup of Flames’ defenseman Rasmus Andersson, bolstering their blue line for the stretch run.
There’s a good chance that we haven’t seen this team’s best hockey yet, making them worth a look at (+800).
Florida Panthers (+950)
It’s hard to count out the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champions, but they feel overpriced considering they’re second-last in the Atlantic Division at the time of this article.
I know that Matthew Tkachuk is back, and there’s an outside chance that Aleksander Barkov returns, but this is a team that has played a ton of hockey the last two seasons.
Simply put, it doesn’t feel like this is their year, so we’ll pass on this one.
Edmonton Oilers (+950)
The Oilers got off to a slow start, but they’re rolling right now. With generational superstar Connor McDavid, the Oilers are always a threat to get it done. After all, they’ve made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in back-to-back seasons.
However, as with every year, I just don’t trust their goaltending.
This feels like a season where Edmonton doesn’t come out of the Western Conference.
Stanley Cup Sleepers 2026
Dallas Stars (+1300)
The Stars got off to a fantastic start, but they’ve hit a major rough patch lately. At one point, they weren’t too far behind the Avalanche in the Central Division, but now, the Wild have caught up to them.
With that said, this is still an impressive roster from top to bottom. The recent cold streak has creating a buying opportunity, since we’re able to now get the Stars at a discount.
That makes the Stars look like my favorite sleeper to win the Stanley Cup this season.
Minnesota Wild (+2000)
The Wild are a dangerous team after trading for an elite defenseman in Quinn Hughes. The question is, will they have enough depth, or is this team too top-heavy?
The other issue is that they’ll have to go through both the Stars and Avalanche if they’re to get to the Stanley Cup Finals.
That’s the kind of difficult path that makes the Wild a team to avoid. I know it’s the same as the Stars, but at least the Stars have had more postseason success in recent years, so they have the edge in experience.
