Stanley Cup race 'wide open' to begin NHL season

The Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers are among the Stanley Cup favorites at several sportsbooks, but there is public momentum behind several other teams in what is seen as a wide-open Stanley Cup race as the 2025-26 NHL season begins on Tuesday.

The Knights and Oilers are co-800 favorites at BetMGM, where Las Vegas has been a popular choice since opening at +1200, drawing 8.3 percent of all money wagered on this season's Stanley Cup champion. The Golden Knights have seen the largest movement at the book since the market opened.

Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche have been backed by the second-most money with 9.7 percent at +850, the same odds as the Carolina Hurricanes. The most heavily-backed team has been the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have drawn 10.6 percent of the money while moving from +2000 to +1600.

"The Stanley Cup race is wide open, and bettors are focused on the Maple Leafs, Avalanche and Golden Knights," BetMGM senior trader Matthew Rasp said. "More than 40 percent of handle is on these three teams to lift the Cup. After a late-season surge last year, there is also betting interest in the Canadiens. We expect Montreal to take another step forward and for liability to grow on the team."

DraftKings has the Hurricanes as the slightly +750 Stanley Cup favorites ahead of the Tampa Bay Lighting (+800), Oilers (+850) and then the Knights and Avalanche at +900.

STANLEY CUP CHAMPION ODDS*

Vegas Golden Knights (+800)

Edmonton Oilers (+800)

Colorado Avalanche (+850)

Carolina Hurricanes (+850)

Dallas Stars (+900)

Florida Panthers (+1100)

Tampa Bay Lightning (+1100)

New Jersey Devils (+1400)

Toronto Maple Leafs (+1600)

Los Angeles Kings (+2200)

New York Rangers (+2500)

Winnipeg Jets (+2500)

Washington Capitals (+1800)

Ottawa Senators (+3300)

Minnesota Wild (+3500)

Utah Mammoth (+4000)

Montreal Canadiens (+5000)

St. Louis Blues (+5000)

Vancouver Canucks (+6000)

Detroit Red Wings (+9000)

Columbus Blue Jackets (+10000)

Buffalo Sabres (+10000)

Calgary Flames (+10000)

Nashville Predators (+12500)

Anaheim Ducks (+12500)

Philadelphia Flyers (+15000)

New York Islanders (+15000)

Boston Bruins (+20000)

Seattle Kraken (+20000)

Pittsburgh Penguins (+30000)

San Jose Sharks (+50000)

Chicago Blackhawks (+50000)

*BetMGM

The longshot Sharks and Blackhawks are the book's two biggest liabilities, with each drawing 1.9 percent of the total money at +50000. The third biggest liability is St. Louis with 2.2 percent of the money at +5000

The Golden Knights open the season as the +400 favorite to win the Western Conference, with the Hurricanes the +400 in the Eastern.

--Field Level Media