The NHL saw a flurry of activity leading up to last Friday’s trade deadline. Several key teams saw movement up and down the board when it comes to NHL playoff and Stanley Cup odds, likely as a result of what they did or didn’t do to address roster needs.
Below, we’ll look at the top Stanley Cup favorites now that the smoke has cleared and the NHL season is nearing its conclusion. You can also check out odds for every game and full NHL playoff odds, including futures on division winners and more.
[metabet_core_futures_board league=”nhl” hide_consensus=”yes” show_search=”yes” site_id=”legalsportsreport”]
Top Stanley Cup favorites after the NHL trade deadline
Below are the current top favorites to win the 2024 Stanley Cup following last week’s trade deadline. For more info, you can also check out our NHL betting guide.
Florida Panthers [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”hkn/nhl_winner” query=”hkn/florida_panthers” site_id=”legalsportsreport”]
Last year’s Eastern Conference champs weren’t among the top 10 Stanley Cup favorites to start the season, and they were as high as +850 on some sportsbooks just last week. But after trading for veteran forwards Kyle Okposo and Vladimir Tarasenko last week, the Panthers have signaled they’re serious about making another run at the title. Florida currently has the best record in the NHL, with a win total surpassing any team in either conference. The big question will be if the Panthers can keep Matthew Tkachuk healthy through the postseason, after injuries hampered him significantly in last year’s Stanley Cup finals.
Edmonton Oilers [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”hkn/nhl_winner” query=”hkn/edmonton_oilers” site_id=”legalsportsreport”]
The Oilers didn’t make as many big moves as some of the other top teams, but they did beef up their forward rotation by acquiring Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick ahead of the deadline. Edmonton has been the top Stanley Cup favorite at several points this season, despite spending very little time atop the Pacific Division and currently sitting well behind first place. Still, the thinking seems to be that any team with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will be a handful in a seven-game series. The Oilers were holding steady at +800 before the trade deadline and haven’t seen much movement since.
Colorado Avalanche [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”hkn/nhl_winner” query=”hkn/colorado_avalanche” site_id=”legalsportsreport”]
The Avalanche were second on the odds board to start the season and have moved in and out of the top spot over the course of the last few months. The team made a lot of moves ahead of the trade deadline, clearing cap space before adding Casey Mittelstadt in a deal that sent Bo Byram to the Buffalo Sabres. The Avalanche also picked up Sean Walker in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. With the continued stellar play of Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, Colorado is likely to be one of the top threats in the Western Conference. The team has been neck-and-neck with the Dallas Stars atop the Central Division for much of the second half of the season.
Carolina Hurricanes [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”hkn/nhl_winner” query=”hkn/carolina_hurricanes” site_id=”legalsportsreport”]
The Hurricanes were one of the most aggressive teams at the trade deadline, with some big moves to add offensive firepower ahead of the playoffs. After much speculation on where Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel would land, Carolina picked him up in a major deal last week. The team also added Evgeny Kuznetsov and Ty Smith just before the trade deadline, signaling a willingness to go all-in on a race for the Stanley Cup after getting swept in the Eastern Conference finals last season.
Other NHL playoff favorites
Here are some other teams that made some moves, even if it wasn’t enough to help them crack the list of top Stanley Cup favorites.
Vegas Golden Knights (Stanley Cup odds: [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”hkn/nhl_winner” query=”hkn/vegas_golden_knights” site_id=”legalsportsreport”], Western Conference odds: [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”hkn/nhl_winner_west” query=”hkn/vegas_golden_knights” site_id=”legalsportsreport”])
Vegas was one of the busiest teams at the trade deadline, adding Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin. The defending Stanley Cup champs briefly saw their Stanley Cup odds climb as high as +850 but have since seen that line slip back over potential injury concerns. The early postseason games could be an issue, as the Golden Knights try to get key players healthy in time. The last team to win consecutive Stanley Cups was the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021.
New York Rangers (Stanley Cup odds: [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”hkn/nhl_winner” query=”hkn/new_york_rangers” site_id=”legalsportsreport”], Eastern Conference odds: [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”hkn/nhl_winner_east” query=”hkn/new_york_rangers” site_id=”legalsportsreport”])
The Rangers began the season just behind the Avalanche in the third spot on the Stanley Cup odds board. New York has been sitting in first place in the Metropolitan Division for much of the season, but it didn’t move too aggressively at the trade deadline. The team added Alex Wennberg in a deal with the Seattle Kraken, and Matt Rempe has continued to make headlines for his physical play (when he isn’t suspended).
Vancouver Canucks (Stanley Cup odds: [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”hkn/nhl_winner” query=”hkn/vancouver_canucks” site_id=”legalsportsreport”], Western Conference odds: [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”hkn/nhl_winner_west” query=”hkn/vancouver_canucks” site_id=”legalsportsreport”])
The Canucks surprised a lot of people by seizing the lead in the Pacific Division, opening a gap between themselves and Edmonton. After Vancouver picked up Elias Lindholm in January, some expected the team to go hard after some major acquisitions prior to the deadline. That didn’t really happen, but the Canucks are still one of the bigger surprises in terms of overall line movement after starting the season far out of the top 10.
Boston Bruins (Stanley Cup odds: [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”hkn/nhl_winner” query=”hkn/boston_bruins” site_id=”legalsportsreport”], Eastern Conference odds: [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”hkn/nhl_winner_east” query=”hkn/boston_bruins” site_id=”legalsportsreport”])
The Bruins began the season as the top favorite after posting the best regular season record last year. The team made an early exit from the playoffs, however, and did very little at the trade deadline this season. Boston has been battling it out with Florida in the Atlantic Division, and it continues to hang around just outside the top five in Stanley Cup favorites.
