NHL Stanley Cup Winner Picks & Best Bets

NHL Stanley Cup Winner Picks & Best Bets

After a wildly entertaining 1,312-game regular season, the Stanley Cup Playoffs have arrived. A total of 16 teams remain in the hunt for the Stanley Cup, and with the Florida Panthers out of contention, we will have a new winner for the first time since 2023. 

There truly is nothing quite like playoff hockey. With a deep postseason field consisting of elite talent, great storylines, and a solid mix of experienced playoff winners and bright newcomers, the next few months of playoff hockey are sure to deliver plenty of memorable moments. 

Stanley Cup odds

After winning the Presidents’ Trophy with a league-leading 121 points, it’s not surprising to see the Colorado Avalanche have the shortest odds to win the Stanley Cup. They are listed at +300 to win it all. However, the Carolina Hurricanes (+475) and Tampa Bay Lightning (+500) are not far behind.

Here is how all 16 playoff teams stack up in the Stanley Cup odds board:

• Colorado Avalanche (+300)
• Carolina Hurricanes (+475)
• Tampa Bay Lightning (+500)
• Vegas Golden Knights (+1000)
• Dallas Stars (+1000)
• Ottawa Senators (+1300)
• Edmonton Oilers (+1300)
• Buffalo Sabres (+1400)
• Minnesota Wild (+1800)
• Pittsburgh Penguins (+2500)
• Utah Mammoth (+3500)
• Montreal Canadiens (+3500)
• Boston Bruins (+5500)
• Los Angeles Kings (+6000)
• Philadelphia Flyers (+7000)
• Anaheim Ducks (+8000)

Stanley Cup Predictions

Stanley Cup Best Bet: Carolina Hurricanes to win the Stanley Cup (+475)

Stanley Cup Longshot Pick: Minnesota Wild to win the Stanley Cup (+1800)

Conn Smythe Best Bet: Quinn Hughes to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (+5500)

Stanley Cup Best Bet: Hurricanes to win the Stanley Cup (+475)

The Eastern Conference title appears to be Carolina’s to lose. The reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are not in this year’s playoff field, which could open the door for the Hurricanes to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final since 2006. 

The Hurricanes are arguably the most well-balanced team in the NHL, as they possess plenty of scoring depth and are extremely stout defensively. Rod Brind’Amour’s team ranked second, scoring 3.55 goals per game during the regular season, and sixth in goals allowed per game with 2.88. That kind of balance is exactly what is needed through the grueling gauntlet of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Plus, while they haven’t advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in Brind’Amour’s first seven seasons, Carolina’s roster is full of plenty of playoff experience that should serve them well. 

Stanley Cup Longshot Pick: Minnesota Wild to win the Stanley Cup (+1800)

Arguably the most intriguing matchup of the first round pits the Dallas Stars against the Minnesota Wild. The Stars are slightly favored with odds of -120 to win the series, but the Wild are more than capable of advancing. If they are able to get past Dallas, Minnesota’s title odds will likely get substantially shorter, meaning this is the time to buy in.

Minnesota could already be at an advantage in the first-round matchup against Dallas, as Stars superstar defenseman Miro Heiskanen is questionable to play in the series with a lower-body injury. That would be a significant loss and give Minnesota an edge on the blue line with Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber. 

Furthermore, both Minnesota goaltenders are solid options. Veteran Filip Gustavsson owns a 2.69 goals-against average to go along with a .904 save percentage, while 23-year-old Jesper Wallstedt owns a strong 2.61 goals-against average and .916 save percentage. Having a 1-2 punch like that in net could be the key to Minnesota making a deep run.

Conn Smythe Best Bet: Quinn Hughes to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (+5500)

Going along with the theme of Minnesota making a deep postseason run to the Stanley Cup, Quinn Hughes to win the Conn Smythe Trophy with odds of +5500 presents great value. Hughes is among the top defensemen in the league, and he is a rare breed that could be among the postseason point-scorers among all skaters from the blue line.

Hughes is averaging better than a point-per-game pace since being traded to the Wild. In 48 games with Minnesota, he’s racked up 53 points on five goals and 48 assists. He is playing alongside some of the best scorers in the league in Kirill Kaprizov and Matthew Boldy, and is seeing monster ice time averaging nearly 28 minutes per game. During the playoffs, don’t be surprised if that number increases. With that in mind, Hughes is a great dark horse candidate to win the Conn Smythe.