Favorites To Win Stanley Cup 2016
The 2016-17 NHL season is just one game deep, leaving us plenty of time to reflect on last year and ponder who might run away with this year’s Stanley Cup. A year ago it was the Pittsburgh Penguins who ran the table, despite finishing as the third best team in the Eastern Conference.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are the new favorites to win the Stanley Cup as they look to defeat the best team of the regular season. The Washington Capitals ran away with the NHL’s best record and a. According to 20 voters from NHL.com and NHL Network, the Tampa Bay Lightning are the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup; half of those polled have the Lightning, the runner-up two years ago. NHL odds 2016: Capitals remain the favorites on Stanley Cup betting futures The Washington Capitals are still the team to beat as the NHL playoffs approach with the top odds to win the Stanley Cup. 2016 betting odds to win NHL Stanley Cup. Apr 12, 2016 2:30 AM GT Staff. NHL Stanley Cup future odds for betting and wagering are provided by Westgate. Check your local sports book for the latest.
Regular season domination wasn’t the name of the game, as the Washington Capitals enjoyed NHL’s best regular season record (56-18-8), yet couldn’t even make it to the final playoff series of the year.
Some big questions linger going into the new NHL season, as the Chicago Blackhawks look to get back in the title mix (winners in 2010, 2013 and 2015) and the Penguins aim to repeat:
The @penguins raised their Stanley Cup Champions banner to the rafters prior to their season-opener on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/gmgg4JngMI
— NHL (@NHL) October 14, 2016
The Los Angeles Kings remain another favorite after winning the NHL title in 2012 and 2014, while the San Jose Sharks remain a dangerous squad after making it to the Stanley Cup Finals a year ago.
To get the new NHL season started, let’s take a look at the latest NHL Stanley Cup odds and see which top contenders and sleepers might be our best bets to win it all:
2017 Stanley Cup Odds
Per Bovada, the Chicago Blackhawks enter the 2016-17 NHL season as the odds on favorite to win the Stanley Cup Finals. They didn’t reach the final stage a year ago, but it’s tough to knock the logic, seeing as they’ve secured three titles in the last six years and continue to have a stacked roster.
They’re not the only NHL team to fear this season, of course. Take a gander at every team’s NHL title odds, per Bovada:
- Chicago Blackhawks +800
- Tampa Bay Lightning +800
- Pittsburgh Penguins +1000
- Washington Capitals +1000
- Dallas Stars +1000
- Louis Blues +1200
- San Jose Sharks +1600
- Nashville Predators +1800
- Anaheim Ducks +1800
- Florida Panthers +1800
- Los Angeles Kings +2000
- Montreal Canadiens +2000
- New York Rangers +2200
- Minnesota Wild +2500
- Boston Bruins +2500
- Detroit Red Wings +2800
- New York Islanders +2800
- Edmonton Oilers +2800
- Philadelphia Flyers +3300
- Winnipeg Jets +4000
- New Jersey Devils +5000
- Colorado Avalanche +5000
- Calgary Flames +5000
- Ottawa Senators +5000
- Toronto Maple Leafs +5000
- Buffalo Sabres +6600
- Arizona Coyotes +6600
- Carolina Hurricanes +6600
- Columbus Blue Jackets +6600
- Vancouver Canucks +6600
Chicago is joined by some familiar company here, as the Penguins won it all last year and sport the third best Stanley Cup odds, the Lightning seem to be in the mix every year (won it all in 2002, runner up in 2014) and the Capitals had the best record in all of hockey in 2015.
As the list goes on, the Stars and Blues are NHL playoff staples and yearly contenders, while the Sharks get some respect after getting the the big stage in 2015.
The big shocker might be with the Kings, who have two of the last Stanley Cup titles and once again made the playoffs with a strong 48 wins a season ago. Despite that, they have very appealing +2000 odds.
Top Stanley Cup Sleepers
Based on their odds, we probably can’t leave out the Kings as a Stanley Cup sleeper. It makes little sense that their so dogged here, but the NHL is pretty stacked and some could see them trending downward a bit.
Despite that, here’s some interesting sleepers we’ll want to watch out for, especially with their Stanley Cup Finals odds in consideration:
Florida Panthers
Florida came on strong last year to not only put up points on offense, but also win a ton of games. They claimed their division and made the playoffs, only to ultimately lose some heartbreaker affairs (three OT losses) in a series with the Islanders. It may take that bad run to get this team more driven and more confident, but they certainly have the offense to go the distance if they can put the rest of the pieces together.
New York Rangers
New York sports slightly better odds than the Panthers, but they might be the better team this year when it’s all said and done. Their offense was just as good a year ago (two less points, 3 less goals) and they won just one less game on the year. The Rangers had the bad luck of being in the same division as the Capitals (best record) and Penguins (eventual champs), yet they won 48 games and dominated on their home ice (blistering 27-10-4). If they can tighten up their defense and be a little more consistent on the road this season, they could be a real problem during the NHL playoffs.
Boston Bruins
Boston is an odd bunch, as they were an elite road team last year, but struggled mightily at home. Protecting their home ice is going to be crucial to their 2016-17 success, especially since the margin for error in a tough Atlantic division is razor thin.
Boston was not a bad team last season, as they put up 240 goals (third best in the Eastern Conference) and could go into anyone’s house and get a win. In fact, they finished with one more win than the Red Wings last season – a team that made it into the NHL playoffs ahead of them with one less loss.
The Bruins need to find a way to correct their home woes this year and make sure they don’t miss out on the playoffs by such a narrow margin again. If they can come into the year focused and clean up their mistakes, they could be a dangerous team.
2017 Stanley Cup Finals Prediction
In all actuality, we’re probably looking at the usual suspects this year, with the Blackhawks understandably taking over the top spot due to having so much experience, success and such a loaded roster.
2016 Stanley Cup Champions
The Kings, Blues, Stars, Lightning, Sharks and of course the defending champion Penguins will all have a say, but ultimately the Blackhawks even felt like they had the magic a year ago. After watching someone else hoist the NHL’s most prized trophy last year, we can expect the Blackhawks to storm back into the new year with a vengeance.
Favorites To Win Stanley Cup 2016
Taking over the Central division in the Western conference will be key – a division they lost by just three games. To do that, they’ll need to perform a little better on the road and be a little more consistent on offense. The Blackhawks are a fun bet going into the new season, however, as their odds at Bovada offer a solid payout and there is plenty of reason to expect them to continue their strong dynasty run.