2025 Stanley Cup Odds: Can the Panthers Go Back-to-Back?

Author ImageAuthor: | Last Updated: October 2024
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The Panthers are the defending champions, but they are not the betting favorite in the preseason Stanley Cup odds. Florida is listed behind Edmonton for the best odds of winning it all this season.

This free hockey betting guide will break down the NFL Stanley Cup odds for the top contenders this season. I will highlight the odds for the best teams at the top NHL betting sites and give my Stanley Cup predictions.

Bovada Sportsbook provided the following Stanley Cup odds for the 2024-2025 season.

Current Odds and Top Contenders

Check out the table below for the latest odds on NHL Stanley Cup favorites.

NHL TeamOdds to Win Stanley Cup
Edmonton Oilers+750
Florida Panthers+900
Dallas Stars+1200
Toronto Maple Leafs+1200
Colorado Avalanche+1300
New Jersey Devils+1300
New York Rangers+1300
Carolina Hurricanes+1400
Nashville Predators+1600
Boston Bruins+1800
Vancouver Canucks+1800
Vegas Golden Knights+1800
Tampa Bay Lightning+2200
Los Angeles Kings+2500
Winnipeg Jets+2800

Edmonton Oilers (+750)

The Oilers will open the 2024-2025 NHL season as the favorite to avenge their Stanley Cup Finals loss from last season. Edmonton is listed at +750 in the updated NHL odds to win the Stanley Cup. The Oilers lost the finals last season to the Panthers in seven games.

An Edmonton win would be history repeating itself in a way, as the Panthers lost in the Finals in 2023 before winning the Stanley Cup last season. The Oilers had an active offseason, adding Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner to aid in their pursuit of a second straight Finals appearance.

Edmonton scored 104 points last season, second only to the Canucks in the Pacific Division. The Oilers also had a +57 point differential, the highest in their division. They had 28 wins at home, the third-most of any team in the NHL last season.

Florida Panthers (+900)

Coming in at second in the preseason Stanely Cup odds are the defending champions, the Florida Panthers. Bovada has Florida listed at +900 to repeat as NHL champions this season. The Panthers could not keep everyone together from last season, but they were able to hold onto Sam Reinhart.

The losses of Brandon Montour and Vladimir Tarasenko, who signed with the Kraken and Red Wings, respectively, will hurt. But re-signing Reinhart, the team’s leading scorer last season, was the priority.

Making a third consecutive Stanley Cup Finals will be challenging, but the Panthers should not be counted out. Florida’s point differential of +68 last season was the highest of any team in the NHL. They also won 52 games in the regular season, five more than another team in the Atlantic Division.

Dallas Stars (+1200)

Two teams are tied for the third-best odds to win the Stanley Cup this season at +1200. The first is the Dallas Stars, who scored 113 points last season, the second-most in the NHL. Dallas was the best team in the Central Division, but they lost to the Oilers in the Western Conference Finals.

The Stars have made the WCF in back-to-back seasons, but they lost in six games both times. Being that close and losing two years in a row can wear on a team. To make matters worse for the Stars, Joe Pavelski, one of the leaders of the team, retired after last season.

Pavelski had 67 points last season, the second-most on the team and behind only Jason Robertson. Dallas must replace Pavelski’s scoring and veteran leadership to make it back to the WCF or beyond this season.

Toronto Maple Leafs (+1200)

The other team listed at 12-1 at secure betting sites is the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto is tied with Boston for the longest active playoff streak at eight. They faced off in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs last year, with Boston winning in seven games.

Despite their early exit from the playoffs last season, expectations are high for Toronto this season. The Maple Leafs fired head coach Sheldon Keefe after their first-round loss and replaced him with Craig Berube.

Berube was the interim head coach for St. Louis when the Blues won the Stanley Cup in 2019. However, he failed to recapture that magic once he became the official head coach. As the new head coach in Toronto, he has another chance to guide a championship-ready team to the Stanley Cup.

Colorado Avalanche (+1300)

There is a three-way tie for the next-best odds, with the Avalanche, the Devils, and the Rangers all listed at +1300 in the NHL preseason odds to win the Stanley Cup. Colorado has won three straight division championships and has made the playoffs seven consecutive seasons.

During that stretch, the Avalanche have only made it past the second round once, when they won the Stanley Cup in 2022. Last season, they lost to Dallas in the second round.

Ultimately, Colorado will go as far as Nathan MacKinnon can carry them. The talented 29-year-old accounted for 51 goals and 89 assists last year, leading the team in both. He also has the best plus/minus on the team at +35.

New Jersey Devils (+1300)

Another team listed at 13-1 to win the Stanley Cup this season is the New Jersey Devils. Last year, injuries and poor goaltending derailed New Jersey’s season, and the Devils missed the playoffs.

There is little any team can do to avoid the injury bug. However, the Devils did address their roster issues by acquiring Jacob Markstrom, a veteran goaltender entering his 15th season. They also hired a new head coach, Sheldon Keefe, who is looking for a fresh start after being fired by the Maple Leafs.

New York Rangers (+1300)

Rounding out the top seven are the New York Rangers, who are also available at +1300. New York won the Presidents’ Trophy last season, finishing the year with 114 points. The Rangers made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals but lost to the Panthers in six games.

New York will need Alexis Lafrenière to continue the success from his breakout season last year if they want to make it to the SCF. Lafrenière scored a career-high in points (57), goals (28), and assists (29) last season.

Dark Horse Teams and Potential Surprises

Betting on dark horses is another fun way to take advantage of the preseason Stanley Cup winner odds. Here are three underdogs I recommend betting on to win the Stanley Cup before the season starts.

Carolina Hurricanes (+1400)

The Hurricanes are just behind the teams listed above at +1400 odds. They have made the ECF twice in the last six seasons and should be desperate to win it all this season before their championship window closes.

Vegas Golden Knights (+1800)

Another underdog I recommend betting on to win the Stanley Cup this season is the Vegas Golden Knights. Since entering the league in 2017, the Knights have won three division championships and the Stanley Cup in 2023. They have been a perennial playoff team in their short existence and cannot be counted out of another championship run.

Utah Hockey Club (+6600)

Speaking of new teams, the Utah Hockey Club will make its debut this season, replacing the Arizona Coyotes. At +6600, the UHC is a true longshot to win it all in its inaugural season. If beginner’s luck does exist, Utah could surprise the hockey world with a deep run this season.

Expert Predictions for the 2025 Stanley Cup

The Oilers are the favorite to win the Stanley Cup this season, with the defending champion Panthers a close second. However, I think it will be the Dallas Stars who finally break through this season instead. Like Edmonton, Dallas has made deep playoff runs but has come up short in recent years. Their young stars are still developing, and I think the Stars will finally win it all for the first time since 1999.

Bovada also has great odds on dark horses, and my longshot pick is the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas’s aggressive team-building strategies will catch up to them sooner rather than later, but I think they still have enough talent to win another Stanley Cup this year.

Which Team’s Stanley Cup Odds Will You Bet On?

The puck drops on the 2024-2025 NHL season soon, and there is no better time to bet on preseason Stanley Cup winner odds. Check out the free betting guide above for my predictions for this NHL. I break down the latest odds for top contenders and give my preseason picks.

After reading my 2024-2025 NHL predictions, sign up at Bovada Sportsbook. This site has excellent NFL Stanley Cup odds and offers up to $1,000 in bonus funds to new members who use the promo code BV1000.

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About the Author

Shaun Stack is a senior writer at GamblingSites.org. His gambling articles have appeared in the Daily Herald, Space Coast Daily, and NJ 101.5. He’s a football betting expert, a Survivor fan, and a skilled blackjack gambler. Shaun is a native of Kansas City but now lives in Pennsylvania and follows the Pittsburgh Steelers religiously.