The 2024 Stanley Cup odds have changed multiple times throughout the season, but we still don’t have a clear favorite. The battle for the NHL Championship will go down to the wire, producing high prices even for the favorites.
If you add the info on at all teams we have, thanks to the standings and records, it feels like a great moment to share my Stanley Cup predictions and best bets available at the top NHL betting sites.
Stanley Cup Winner Odds for 2024
*Odds provided are courtesy of BetOnline
| Team | Stanley Cup Betting Odds |
|---|---|
| Florida Panthers | +650 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +700 |
| Colorado Avalanche | +750 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +750 |
| Dallas Stars | +1000 |
| New York Rangers | +1000 |
| Boston Bruins | +1100 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +1200 |
| Vancouver Canucks | +1400 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +1400 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +1600 |
| Los Angeles Kings | +2500 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +2800 |
Way back in June 2023, it was the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche that opened as co-favorites to win the 2024 Stanley Cup. At +800, the two teams had the best odds shortly after the Knights hoisted last season’s Stanley Cup.
Notable changes and personnel shifts have emerged since then, creating an entirely new betting landscape for the upcoming NHL post-season. The Carolina Hurricanes vaulted up the odds board most recently, with an impressive trade deadline. Their pursuit in getting both Jake Guentzel and Evgeni Kuznetsov has bolstered a talented crew of forwards. This team is now much healthier between the pipes.
Out West, the Edmonton Oilers too remain a team to watch. A mid-season coaching replacement from Kris Knoblauch from Jay Woodcroft has paid dividends in a big way.
The regular season is coming to an end on Thursday April 18 and the playoffs start on April 20. This season has been full of ups and downs that I cover later in this post, but for now, let’s take a look at a few more Stanley Cup betting markets for 2024.
More Stanley Cup 2024 Betting Odds
BetOnline offers multiple Stanley Cup 2024 prop bets, providing various gambling angles for the NHL Championship this year.
Stanley Cup Winner – Field (-300) vs. Canadian Team (+230)
It has been an awfully long time since the Stanley Cup was won by a Canadian team; 21 seasons to be exact. A young Patrick Roy and his Montreal Canadiens did the job back then, but 2024 could be Canada’s best chance since then.
All of Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Toronto have legitimate shots, while the upstart Vancouver Canucks should also be in contention if matchups fall their way. The odds are decent, so a small bet on Canada makes a lot of sense.
Stanley Cup – Conference Winner – Eastern Conference (-120) vs. Western Conference (-110)
While the Western Conference has the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights, the East playoffs will be loaded with talent and experience – with at least six of their eight qualified teams having the depth to hoist the Stanley Cup in June.
At very similar odds currently at BetOnline, lean with the skill and quality of the Eastern Conference.
Stanley Cup – Division Winner
- Atlantic; +230
- Pacific; +260
- Metropolitan; +310
- Central; +310
It is easy to see why the Atlantic gets the nudge here, and we agree with BetOnline’s current odds in this market to win the Stanley Cup.
Florida and Boston look dominant and have the necessary personnel required to win in the playoffs. And while the Toronto Maple Leafs sit third in the division, they are also loaded with skill and promise. This division will be a battle to emerge from, but the Atlantic is certainly the one to back this coming June.
When Do The NHL Playoffs 2024 Start?
The 2024 NHL Playoffs start on Saturday, April 20th. We already know the first-round series, so let’s check them out:
Eastern Conference
- Florida Panthers (1A) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (WC1)
- Boston Bruins (2A) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (3A)
- New York Rangers (1M) vs. Washington Capitals (WC2)
- Carolina Hurricanes (2M) vs. New York Islanders (3M)
Western Conference
- Dallas Stars (1C) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (WC2)
- Winnipeg Jets (2C) vs. Colorado Avalanche (3C)
- Vancouver Canucks (1P) vs. Nashville Predators (WC1)
- Edmonton Oilers (2P) vs. Los Angeles Kings (3P)
If you plan on betting on the first round series, check out our NHL Playoffs First Round predictions! They can also help you if you decide to join one of the top NFL Playoff contests and bracket challenges.
Stanley Cup 2024 Favorites
You should focus your efforts on the favorites first when you’re working on your Stanley Cup predictions for 2024. Here are the teams most likely to win the trophy, according to most sports betting sites.
Florida Panthers (+650)
The Panthers surprised many with a miracle run to the Cup Finals last June, but those who were paying attention saw that coming. The Cats have it all and play a heavy brand of hockey that can simply wear down the opposition over a physical, seven-game series.
Up front, the Panthers are loaded with skill and grit. Aleksander Barkov can score, while simultaneously shutting down the opposition’s top players. The team also has Matthew Tkachuk can do it all, in any situation, while bringing the necessary size and snarl required to cause fear in opposing defencemen.
Florida also enhanced their lineup at the trade deadline, bolstering their scoring punch by securing Kyle Okposo and Vladimir Tarasenko. One of the NHL’s deepest forward groups continues to improve.
On the back end, the Panthers likely possess the best defensive corps in hockey. Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour are lethal on the power play, while Gustav Forsling has morphed into an incredible shutdown defender.
Head coach Paul Maurice knows what it takes to win in the playoffs, and the veteran has enjoyed great success in the postseason to date. In goal, Sergei Bobrovsky remains a gamebreaker, and provides the necessary safety net for Florida between the pipes.
This team is loaded, so winning the Stanley Cup 2024 is definitely on the table.
Carolina Hurricanes (+700)
The Hurricanes have really improved their position in the second half of the regular season. This has long been an impressive roster, but they’ve struggled with depth in the scoring department. Now, Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Martin Necas have some support up front.
Getting Jake Guentzel and Evgeni Kuznetsov at the NHL’s trade deadline was a stroke of genius, that instantly pumped new life and scoring ability into the roster. This has morphed into a dynamic offensive group, without sacrificing their rigid defensive structure.
The Canes boast the top forwards corps in all of hockey as we approach the Stanley Cup playoffs. Given their path as the likely top Metropolitan team, it should allow for a comfortable route to the Eastern Conference Finals.
THE CANES STORM BACK FOR THE WIN! 🌀
Jake Guentzel slips one five-hole to get the W for his new team. pic.twitter.com/c5ZJn1TlYX
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 17, 2024
In goal, big Danish netminder Frederik Andersen is healthy again. The pairing with young Russian Pyotr Kochetkov provides elite goaltending for the rest of the way.
The group that had many questions asked to answer last spring following another early exit, but there are no more excuses. This is an elite roster, with seemingly zero holes. Carolina currently sits atop the league in terms of expected goal differential at even strength. This is a telltale statistic that they will control the play and get the bulk of chances against any opponent this Spring.
Colorado Avalanche (+750)
Much like the Hurricanes and the Golden Knights, the Avalanche enhanced their team at the NHL’s trade deadline. Colorado went out and secured Casey Mittelstadt, Yakov Trenin, and Sean Walker in an impressive trio of trades.
The injection of fresh blood provides better balance and protection to a top-heavy lineup. In the post-season, you need all four lines as four rounds of seven games each can take a real toll on the players.
Colorado now has all kinds of depth and skill throughout the lineup, and don’t be surprised to see team captain Gabriel Landeskog return from a lengthy injury at some point this postseason.
The Avs have elite game-breaking skill that Carolina or Florida don’t really possess and have the experience of winning the Stanley Cup back in 2022. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are dynamic skaters, and their speed can change games and playoff series.
Despite some question marks between the pipes, it’s impossible to count out the Avalanche in any seven-game series. They boast an elite home-ice advantage and coach Jared Bednar is among the best in-game strategists within the sport.
Edmonton Oilers (+750)
The final Stanley Cup betting favorite I want to highlight are the resurgent Edmonton Oilers. Their season started poorly, but a coaching change to Kris Knoblauch has pumped new life into this talented roster.
On top of that, GM Ken Holland did his best to provide more depth to this team, delivering much need help to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. As a result, the Oilers have a battle-tested and playoff-ready group, prepared for the physicality the NHL’s postseason brings.
Expect Evander Kane, Zach Hyman, Corey Perry, and newly-acquired Adam Henrique to all have big roles in Edmonton’s playoff success this year. Those four players should do well to protect the star talents in any series.
1) oh my goodness McDavid
2) who is stopping the puck after this passing pic.twitter.com/0tYRzjL0pK— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) March 22, 2024
On the back end, the group has it all with skill, skating ability, size, and snarl on the blue line. Troy Stetcher has fit in nicely since his recent trade, and youngster Evan Bouchard has this power play more dangerous than ever. This is a loaded and complete roster, and they have McDavid, who can still win games on his own.
On the downside, goaltending remains the big elephant in the room. While Stuart Skinner has improved since the autumn, he’s prone to bad games and letting in weak goals at inopportune times. It’s tough to fully trust this talented group with an unproven commodity between the pipes.
you’ll be watching this connor mcdavid goal in youtube highlight videos for years to come. pic.twitter.com/pdAXajMe4J
— zach (@zjlaing) March 20, 2024
The shaky goalie is the only reason you can get such a high price for the Oilers, though. +750 seems too high for a strong team, making Edmonton one of the best Stanley Cup picks.
Sleepers for the 2024 Stanley Cup
The great thing about the NHL’s post-season is the craziness that ensues. Favorites have been falling at incredibly high rates over the past few playoff tournaments. Given the parity in the league, expect 2024 to be no different.
Let’s take a look at a couple of the top sleepers who can do some damage this spring and surprise everyone in their pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
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It’s been 56 years since hockey’s most famous franchise drank from Lord Stanley’s mug, but this year could be different for Leafs Nation. Toronto has been consistently improving in the postseason for years now, with Auston Matthews and William Nylander currently mired in career years.
Their talent is impressive, and they can matchup offensively with any group in the league. In goal, Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll have proven they can be red-hot and can change games with their incredible saves.
However, the blue line remains problematic and a big question mark. Injuries and player regression have hit Toronto hard this year on the back end, and it remains to be seen if this defense can stack up with the likes of Florida and Boston over seven games.
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Count out the Bolts at your own peril. This is still a very talented roster with deep knowledge of what it takes to win in the post-season. Their two recent Cup victories make that abundantly clear.
Victor Hedman remains one of the league’s top shutdown defenders, while Andrei Vasilevsky is capable to stealing a playoff series. His ceiling is higher than any other goalie in the league, and despite the lofty betting price, the ‘Big Cat’ can give Tampa Bay a shot in any game.
Up front, Nikita Kucherov is having his best regular season, and while the supporting cast is not what it used to be in Tampa Bay, this is a veteran group that nobody will want to match up against in the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs. They’ll be a tough out for any opponent.
Stanley Cup Prediction and Betting Pick
One thing is for certain as we approach this year’s NHL postseason: it should be a wide-open tournament, and nothing should surprise you. There are many good teams this year, and the differences between them are negligible.
That said, it takes special performances to win a Stanley Cup, and it is the Edmonton Oilers who have a couple of incredibly special players.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been long awaiting their signature playoff moments, and this tournament could be the one we see these young stars finally break through. This is Edmonton’s best-ever roster in this new era, and the supporting cast around this talented duo is elite. Zach Hyman could score 60 goals!
The Oilers can score at will and have implemented a new defensive structure that makes them stingier to beat and protects their goaltenders from facing too many high-danger chances. Special teams are crucial to playoff success, and no squad is more clinical with the man-advantage than the Oilers.
They’ve added grit and playoff experience at the trade deadline, and you can tell. The Oilers have been the best team in the NHL in virtually all metrics since Kris Knoblauch took over behind the bench.
While their goaltending remains suspect at best, there is enough talent, structure, and discipline throughout the rest of the roster that Stuart Skinner doesn’t need to be spectacular.
At +750 betting odds, look the way of the Edmonton Oilers to return the Stanley Cup to Canada (+200) at long last.
Who’s Your Stanley Cup 2024 Favorite?
And there you have it, folks! My prediction for this year’s Stanley Cup winner is the Edmonton Oilers at +750 betting odds. Who do you expect to bring the trophy home?
If you’re looking to get down on any of the Stanley Cup betting markets in this post, the clear choice for betting on hockey is BetOnline.
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