Four teams remain in the race for the Stanley Cup after the Montreal Canadiens delivered a dramatic Game 7 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.
Montreal will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, while the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche will take on the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final.
As we get ready for the NHL conference finals, let’s assess the latest Stanley Cup odds and update our winner predictions.
NHL Stanley Cup Winner Odds 2026
NHL odds referenced below are current as of Tuesday, May 19, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Colorado Avalanche (+130)
- Carolina Hurricanes (+170)
- Vegas Golden Knights (+600)
- Montreal Canadiens (+700)
Who Will Win the Stanley Cup 2026?
Colorado Avalanche (+130)
The Avalanche have been the best team in the NHL all season long, and they’re proving it again in the postseason.
After earning a league-high 121 points, Colorado swept the Los Angeles Kings and dispatched the Minnesota Wild in five games.
NHL MVP finalist Nathan MacKinnon has continued to show why he’s one of the best players in the world, scoring seven goals and adding six assists in just nine playoff games.
Colorado is averaging 4.11 goals per game this postseason, the most in the league by a sizable margin, and Scott Wedgewood (2.21 GAA) is getting it done between the pipes.
I’m backing the Avalanche to break the Presidents’ Trophy curse and win the Stanley Cup as one of my NHL best bets today.
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Stanley Cup Contenders 2026
Carolina Hurricanes (+170)
Carolina has been the most dominant team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs thus far, winning all eight of its games to reach the Eastern Conference Final.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Hurricanes handle a historic 12-day layoff, but one would think the rest would be an advantage against a Canadiens team that played 14 games to reach this point.
The hope will be that goaltender Frederik Andersen can continue his stellar form after allowing just 10 goals on 201 shots across Carolina’s eight playoff games.
If Rod Brind’Amour’s team continues to limit opponents to just around a goal per game, the Canes will have a great chance to win their first Stanley Cup since 2006.
Vegas Golden Knights (+600)
After adding Mitch Marner in the offseason, Vegas was expected to take a step forward this year.
That didn’t really happen in the regular season, but the Golden Knights have found their groove following a late-season coaching change that saw Bruce Cassidy replaced by John Tortorella.
Vegas won seven of its final eight games to top a crowded Pacific Division and has carried that momentum into the postseason, where it has eliminated Utah and Anaheim in six games.
After a below-average campaign, Marner has come alive in the playoffs and currently leads the league in postseason points (18). The former Maple Leafs star has scored in both series-clinching games thus far and will need to be at his best if Vegas wants to get past Colorado.
Stanley Cup Sleeper Pick 2026
Montreal Canadiens (+700)
Few people would have picked Montreal to make the Eastern Conference Final this season, but the Canadiens have fought their way into the NHL’s final four.
Martin St. Louis’ squad has proven it can overcome adversity, winning a pair of road Game 7s against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres.
Rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes (2.52 GAA) has been spectacular between the pipes this postseason, especially considering he has faced the most shots (399) of any netminder.
While the Canadiens are underdogs against the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, Montreal won all three regular-season matchups against Carolina, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Habs continue this run.
