2025-26 NHL Stanley Cup Futures Odds: Hurricanes Favored vs. Golden Knights
Stanley Cup Final futures odds for 2026 are plowing through the conference finals. And there's a big change at the top.
The Colorado Avalanche have been atop 2025-26 Stanley Cup odds pretty much all season. But the Vegas Golden Knights just eliminated Colorado, and the Carolina Hurricanes are now favorites vs. Vegas.
Prediction markets are in the mix, as well, with prediction market apps such as Kalshi offering users a way to trade contracts on odds to win the Stanley Cup.
Below are 2026 Stanley Cup odds from Kalshi. Use our Kalshi promo code to get started by clicking on the module below.
Below are NHL odds to win the Stanley Cup from an array of sportsbooks, followed by oddsmaker insights. Check back regularly for updates and use our BetMGM bonus code to get the most out of your action on 2026 NHL championship odds.
(Feature image: Stephen R. Sylvanie/Imagn Images)
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2026 NHL Stanley Cup Championship Odds
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Carolina Hurricanes Odds
Game 1
- Opening moneyline: Hurricanes -155/Golden Knights +130
- Opening total: Over/Under 5.5 goals scored
- Time: 8 p.m. ET Tuesday (ABC)
- Series Odds: Hurricanes -155/Golden Knights +130
OPENING ODDS UPDATE: The Vegas Golden Knights are on a shocking 12-4 playoff run, already winning the Western Conference to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Vegas stunned President's Cup winner Colorado, sweeping that series 4-0.
In Game 4 Tuesday night, the Knights held on for a 2-1 victory, their sixth consecutive win.
But the Carolina Hurricanes have home ice and are the favorite to lift the Cup. Carolina made quick work of three straight foes, with back-to-back sweeps of Ottawa and Philadelphia, followed by a 4-1 series win over Montreal in the Eastern Conference finals.
In Game 5 Friday night, the Hurricanes hammered the Canadiens 6-1, moving to 12-1 in the postseason.
For Tuesday's Game 1, DraftKings opened Carolina opened as -155 home chalk, with Vegas a +130 underdog. Check back for updates on Stanley Cup Final Game 1 odds.
Change at the Top
LATEST UPDATE: Colorado entered the postseason as +300 favorites in BetMGM's NHL championship odds. Then the Avs went out and swept the Los Angeles Kings in the first round and beat the Minnesota Wild in five games.
However, the Carolina Hurricanes – who had the NHL's second-best regular-season mark, behind only Colorado – also got a first-round sweep, against Ottawa. Then the 'Canes swept Philadelphia in a best-of-7 second-round series.
And then came the huge stunner. Colorado, dominant all season long and the +135 favorite in Stanley Cup futures on May 19, is finished. The Avalanche were swept by Vegas in the West finals.
As noted above, Carolina topped Montreal 4-1 in the East finals. So BetMGM has the Hurricanes as -155 favorites in Stanley Cup Final odds, with Vegas the +140 underdog to lift the trophy.
"At this point, we're hoping Carolina can get it done," BetMGM trading manager Christian Cipollini said.
Tickets and Money
Freshly eliminated Colorado is No. 1 in tickets and money in BetMGM's NHL championship futures, by a large margin. The Avalanche took more than twice as many bets as Carolina or Vegas, Nos. 2-3 in tickets, respectively.
And Colorado took twice as much money as Vegas and Carolina, Nos. 2-3 in money, respectively. But there'll be no more tickets or money on the Avs.
"Colorado [was] the most-bet team by a wide margin, and the favorite for a majority of the season, as well," Cipollini said.
Much of the Hurricanes action has been late-arriving, so BetMGM actually continues rooting for Carolina.
"The late bets are no concern, because they're at a pretty short price," Cipollini said. "I feel like it's been the same the last few years. The Hurricanes are a great outcome for the book, the best outcome."
The top five in Stanley Cup futures tickets at BetMGM:
- Avalanche
- Hurricanes
- Golden Knights
- Buffalo Sabres
- Minnesota Wild
And the top five in Stanley Cup money:
- Avalanche
- Golden Knights
- Hurricanes
- Edmonton Oilers
- Wild
Knight Moves
The Golden Knights are an interesting story, having fired coach Bruce Cassidy on March 29, with eight games left in the regular season. John Tortorella is leading Vegas for as long as this season continues, which is going to include the Stanley Cup Final.
Prior to Cassidy's firing, the Golden Knights were in a 4-10-2 rut and stood seventh in the Western Conference. Yet BetMGM still had the Knights as the +1500 co-seventh choice in Stanley Cup odds, along with the Sabres.
Now, as noted above, the Knights are the +115 second choice among the three remaining teams. Vegas is on a 19-4-1 tear since Tortorella took over for Cassidy.
"Vegas has taken action, being toward the top of the odds all year," Cipollini said.
Opening Odds To Win 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Final
The Florida Panthers have won two straight Stanley Cups. Florida opened as the +750 second choice to three-peat, but as noted above, has fallen apart. The Edmonton Oilers have lost two straight Cup Finals, but opened as the +650 favorite to win next season.
Opening odds for all teams, from BetMGM:
- Edmonton Oilers: +650
- Florida Panthers: +750
- Colorado Avalanche: +800
- Dallas Stars: +850
- Carolina Hurricanes: +900
- Vegas Golden Knights: +1200
- Tampa Bay Lightning: +1500
- New Jersey Devils: +1800
- Los Angeles Kings: +2000
- Toronto Maple Leafs: +2000
- Winnipeg Jets: +2200
- Washington Capitals: +2800
- New York Rangers: +3000
- Ottawa Senators: +3300
- Minnesota Wild: +3500
- St. Louis Blues: +4000
- Utah Mammoth: +4000
- Vancouver Canucks: +5000
- New York Islanders: +6600
- Columbus Blue Jackets: +8000
- Montreal Canadiens: +8000
- Calgary Flames: +9000
- Nashville Predators: +9000
- Boston Bruins: +10000
- Detroit Red Wings: +10000
- Philadelphia Flyers: +10000
- Anaheim Ducks: +15000
- Buffalo Sabres: +15000
- Pittsburgh Penguins: +20000
- Seattle Kraken: +30000
- Chicago Blackhawks: +50000
- San Jose Sharks: +50000
Popular NHL Futures Markets
- NHL Vegas Odds
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- Awards Hub
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NHL Playoffs Betting Resources
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NHL Series Odds
How To Bet On NHL Futures
Many pundits believe that the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in professional sports and that’s not usually a good for bettors placing NHL Future wagers but at the same time, the payoff can be great.
The NHL Futures market in pro hockey is a simple bet and can be defined as an “Odds to win” wager. Bettors must correctly select a team to win an event that takes place a later time in the year or season. The money placed on the future wager will be locked in with a sportsbook and bettors will receive fixed odds at the time of the wager. NHL Futures can be bet on before and during the season, depending on when the sportsbooks post their future odds.
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Player Awards
The Hart Memorial Trophy is a popular NHL future wager for players. This award is given to the Most Valuable Player in the NHL regular season. The Conn Smythe Trophy is another top betting market and that award is for the MVP of the NHL Playoffs.
How Do I Bet On The Stanley Cup?

Players can bet on the Stanley Cup at all legal sportsbooks in the United States. Visit our list of legal sportsbooks in the United States for more information on where you can place NHL bets, or visit our pages:
bet365 | BetMGM | Caesars Sportsbook | DraftKings | FanDuel | FOX Bet | PointsBet | Unibet | Best US Sportsbooks
When betting on futures, the wager is based on simple math and very friendly to novice bettors. To figure out your Win Amount, take the odds and multiply by the amount wagered.
Ex. Boston Bruins (10/1) to win the NHL Stanley Cup Finals.
The Bruins are listed as a 10/1 betting choice to win the Stanley Cup Finals. If you bet $100 on Boston to win the Stanley Cup Finals and it captures the championship, then you would win $1,000 (10 ÷ 1 x 100).
You would collect $1,100, which includes your win and stake ($100). The stake is often referred to as the wager or monies placed on your future odds wager. Players reading American Odds would see Boston as +1000 in the above example while the Decimal version on the Bruins would be 11.00.
One of the best features about betting on the Stanley Cup is that you can do it year-round and more than half (16) of the 31 teams in the league will make the playoffs. Every NHL bettor knows that if you make the postseason, then you’ve got a shot to cash your Stanley Cup future odds ticket.
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