NHL Stanley Cup 2026-27 Betting Preview: Winner Odds, Predictions, & Best Bets

Florida Panthers (+650)

The Florida Panthers are pre-season favorites to win the Stanley Cup at +650, looking to rebound from a 2025-26 season that ended their pursuit of a historic three-peat.

After reaching three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals and winning the championship in both 2024 and 2025, Florida fell to 40-38-4 and missed the playoffs entirely.

Injuries were the primary reason, with captain Aleksander Barkov suffering ACL and MCL injuries in training camp and missing the entire season. Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Seth Jones, and others also missed significant time.

Aleksander Barkov, we have missed these moves 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/4VhfW3Vasz

— NHL (@NHL) September 22, 2026

Barkov’s return is arguably the biggest development for the Panthers. The captain is much more than an offensive center, serving as one of the NHL’s premier two-way forwards and a major driver of Florida’s puck possession. He returned to competitive hockey with Finland at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, producing 11 points in 10 games while helping Finland win gold.

Florida also made one of the biggest offseason additions in the NHL by acquiring Brady Tkachuk from Ottawa. The 26-year-old power forward recorded 59 points in 60 games last season and now joins his brother Matthew in Florida.

Brady also ranked third in the NHL in offensive-zone time percentage last season and gives the Panthers another high-danger scoring threat to complement Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, and Sam Reinhart.

The Panthers also added Radko Gudas, Lars Eller, and Garnet Hathaway, further reinforcing a roster built around physicality and depth. Gudas returns after previously helping Florida reach the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.

However, the biggest question entering the season is between the pipes. Sergei Bobrovsky, who started all 47 games during Florida’s back-to-back championship runs, departed for Toronto.

The Panthers acquired Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid, but both are coming off seasons with save percentages below .900. Markstrom posted an .883 save percentage in 2025-26, while Schmid finished at .893.

That makes goaltending particularly important to Florida’s Stanley Cup outlook. The Panthers have enough scoring, defensive depth, and two-way talent to contend if healthy, but Markstrom will need to rebound, and Schmid will need to provide reliable support. If the new tandem can replace enough of Bobrovsky’s postseason impact, Florida has the roster to make another deep playoff run.

Carolina Hurricanes (+750)

The Carolina Hurricanes enter the 2026-27 season at +750 after finally breaking through and winning their first Stanley Cup since 2006.

Carolina went 53-22-7 last season, finished first in the Metropolitan Division, and capped an eight-year run under Rod Brind’Amour by defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in six games in the Stanley Cup Final.

Now, the challenge is avoiding a championship hangover while trying to become the first Hurricanes team in franchise history to win consecutive Cups.

A STORM THAT COULDN'T BE WEATHERED🌪️

The Carolina Hurricanes have won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 20 years ‼️ pic.twitter.com/YlgsZip2Kc

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 15, 2026

The Hurricanes have largely kept the championship roster intact, which could be their biggest advantage. Carolina ranked first in the NHL in offensive-zone time for a fifth consecutive season and had five players among the league’s top 10 in that category.

Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven, and Jackson Blake give the Hurricanes considerable depth up front, while Jaccob Slavin anchors a defense that remains one of the team’s biggest strengths.

There are some important changes, however. Frederik Andersen departed in free agency for Edmonton after starting the first 16 playoff games during Carolina’s championship run. Brandon Bussi took over late in the Final and went 3-1 with a 1.60 GAA and .931 save percentage in four playoff appearances.

He now enters the season as part of a tandem with Pyotr Kochetkov, who was limited to nine NHL games last season because of a lower-body injury. Whether that duo can provide consistent goaltending over an 84-game schedule is one of the biggest questions surrounding Carolina.

The other concern is the health of Seth Jarvis. The 24-year-old led Carolina with 32 goals and finished fourth with 66 points last season, but shoulder surgery will keep him out for the start of the season. The Hurricanes will look to players such as Bradly Nadeau and Felix Unger Sorum for additional production.

Still, Carolina’s combination of depth, defensive structure, and roster chemistry makes it one of the most experienced contenders on the 2026-27 Stanley Cup board. The path to another championship could ultimately come down to whether Bussi and Kochetkov can replace Andersen’s playoff production while the Hurricanes wait for Jarvis to return.

Colorado Avalanche (+750)

The Colorado Avalanche enter the 2026-27 season at +750 after another dominant regular season ended with disappointment in the Western Conference Final. Colorado went 55-16-11, won the Central Division and led the NHL in both goals scored (298) and goals allowed (197), but was swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the conference final.

The Avalanche still have the star power to compete with anyone. Nathan MacKinnon is coming off a 53-goal season that earned him the Rocket Richard Trophy, while Cale Makar remains one of the league’s premier defensemen.

Martin Necas also gives Colorado another dynamic offensive weapon, and the return of Gabriel Landeskog provides additional experience and leadership. Makar’s long-term future is no longer a concern after he signed an eight-year extension that keeps him in Colorado through the 2034-35 season.

Highest-Paid players in the NHL (after contract extensions kick in)

🛘 Cale Makar, $20.4M AAV
🦈 Macklin Celebrini, $18.8M AAV
🦆 Leo Carlsson, $18M AAV
🌲 Kirill Kaprizov, $17M AAV
🔴 Connor Bedard, $15M AAV pic.twitter.com/fDMxH3Cky8

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) August 28, 2026

However, there is a sense that time is becoming increasingly important for this core. Colorado’s roster is one of the oldest in the NHL, with an average age of 31.10 entering the offseason, and several important contributors are well into their 30s. Brent Burns is already 41, while veterans such as Landeskog, Nazem Kadri and Devon Toews are also on the back half of their careers.

The Avalanche attempted to address that issue by adding younger players such as Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux while signing veteran forward Jaden Schwartz. They also moved on from Valeri Nichushkin and Ross Colton, creating opportunities for younger players to take on larger roles.

Goaltending is another major storyline. Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood shared the William Jennings Trophy after Colorado allowed the fewest goals in the NHL, but both will need to prove they can replicate those numbers. Wedgewood posted a .921 save percentage during the regular season, while Blackwood finished with a 2.51 GAA.

Ultimately, Colorado’s Stanley Cup window remains open, but the combination of an aging supporting cast and recent playoff exits puts added importance on the 2026-27 season. With MacKinnon and Makar still driving the team, the Avalanche have the elite talent to contend, but maximizing this core while it remains together is becoming increasingly important.