2025-26 NHL Stanley Cup Futures Odds: Avalanche, Hurricanes at Top
Stanley Cup Final futures odds for 2026 are now into the conference finals. And there's a two-way battle for the favorite.
The Colorado Avalanche entered the postseason atop 2025-26 Stanley Cup odds. Then the Carolina Hurricanes supplanted the Avs after the first round. Now, it's the Avs as favorites again.
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: James Guillory/Imagn Images)
Stanley Cup Champion Odds
Coming from Canada? Check out our Canada online gambling hub for everything you need!
2026 NHL Stanley Cup Championship Odds
Flip-Flop at the Top
LATEST UPDATE: The scorching-hot Colorado Avalanche 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.
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.
That put Carolina ahead of Colorado's pace. Which initially led BetMGM to make the Hurricanes +175 favorites in Stanley Cup futures odds, with the Avalanche right behind at +195.
As of May 19, with Colorado having beaten Minnesota in five games, the Avs are again favored at +135. Carolina, which got more than week off after its sweep of the Flyers, is the +175 second choice.
Colorado is No. 1 in tickets and money in BetMGM's NHL championship futures, by a large margin. The Avalanche have taken more than twice as many bets as Carolina, which is No. 2 in ticket count.
And Colorado has taken twice as much money as the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina, who are Nos. 2-3 in money, respectively. Colorado and Vegas meet in the Western Conference finals.
"Colorado is the most-bet team by a wide margin, and the favorite for a majority of the season, as well," BetMGM trading manager Christian Cipollini said. "The short price has not kept people away.
"Currently, we would be a slight winner due to the low price all year. But I'd imagine [liability] will grow, should the Avalanche continue to advance."
Much of the Hurricanes action has been late-arriving, so BetMGM actually continues rooting for Carolina, which meets Montreal in the Eastern Conference finals.
"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
Three of those teams are no longer a concern. Edmonton lost in the first round, and Buffalo and Minnesota bowed out in the second round. The Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Final each of the past two seasons, losing to Florida each time.
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.
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, after beating Utah in Round 1 and Anaheim in Round 2 – both in six games – Vegas is the +575 third choice in Stanley Cup futures odds.
"Vegas has taken action, being toward the top of the odds all year," Cipollini said.
Canadiens Club
LATEST UPDATE: The fourth among the conference finalists: the Montreal Canadiens. In the second round, the Canadiens took out the Buffalo Sabres, winning the best-of-7 series 4-3.
That series just ended May 18, with Montreal winning Game 7 3-2 in overtime. So it'll be the Canadiens vs. the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals.
Montreal is the +600 fourth and final choice in BetMGM's Stanley Cup futures odds. That's after opening +8000 nearly a year ago and sitting at +2500 when the playoffs opened.
So even though the Canadiens are ninth in tickets and money at BetMGM, they're a liability. Plenty of bets are live at far longer odds than those seen for Colorado and Carolina, and on Vegas to a lesser degree.
"We want to avoid Montreal," Cipollini said.
In fact, BetMGM wants the Canadiens to lose to Carolina. There's a $25,000 bet on Montreal +1100 to win the East, which would profit $275,000.
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
- Point Total Odds
- Hart Award Odds
- Vezina Award Odds
- Rocket Richard Odds
- Calder Odds
- James Norris Odds
- Jack Adams Odds
- Awards Hub
NHL Conference Winner Markets
NHL Division Winner Markets
- Atlantic Division Winner Odds
- Metropolitan Division Winner Odds
- Pacific Division Winner Odds
- Central Division Winner Odds
NHL Playoffs Betting Resources
- NHL Playoffs Picks
- NHL Expert Picks
- NHL Playoffs Free Picks
- NHL Consensus Picks
- NHL East Odds
- NHL West Odds
- Stanley Cup Finals Odds
- NHL Finals Betting History
- NHL Playoffs Best Sportsbooks
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.
New to BetMGM? Get started today with Vegas Insider's BetMGM promo code!
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.
For NHL fans looking for the best odds and bonuses, check out our top casino selections with the best online casinos bonuses available in multiple states. In particular, bettors can visit the Borgata Sportsbook & Casino for a generous bonus offer when betting on sports.
