Ice hockey is steadily growing in popularity in the United Kingdom, and the world’s biggest and best league is the National Hockey League.
There is a range of high-end teams that are competing for the Stanley Cup every year, and this year, seven teams stand out as true contenders to take home the trophy.
These teams are the presumptive favourites in most sportsbooks, and fans and pundits agree.
Below, we’ll take a look at the seven franchises that appear poised to make a Stanley Cup run.
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are the defending Stanley Cup champions, and they are loaded on every level. Most sportsbooks have them listed as one of the biggest contenders, particularly after the
team has made the Stanley Cup the past two seasons.
They have big, strong forwards who play a two-way game, like Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennet, and Alexander Barkov. They made aggressive moves at the trade deadline, adding Seth Jones and Brad Marchand to what was already a Stanley Cup-caliber roster. They will pose an incredibly difficult matchup to every team they face.
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are one of the most complete rosters in the league. Their Stanley Cup odds are high on most new sports betting sites, and it isn’t hard to see why. The Stars have a lot of talent
up front, with players like the newly acquired Mikko Rantanen, Jason Robertson, and Wyatt Johnston.
They also have a superstar defenceman in Miro Heiskanen and one of the league’s top goalies in Jake Oettinger.
There really is not one flaw one could point to as holding this team back, so they are equipped to make a big splash in the playoffs.
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are one of the league’s most skilled teams. They have navigated some relative turbulence this year, with captain Gabriel Landeskog injured and superstar Mikko
Rantanen being traded.
However, this team has one of the top players on the planet, Nathan Mackinnon, and arguably the league’s best defenceman, Cale Makar. They have managed to get more consistent goaltending following their trade for Mackenzie Blackwood.
They also have an excellent supporting cast with players like Martin Necas, Devon Toews, and Valeri Nichuskin.
For bettors who prefer to wager on a team that has proven itself in the past, this core of players has won the Cup before.
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers were the favourites going into the season following a Game 7 loss in the Stanley Cup Final. While they haven’t performed at a dominant level, there are many who still
think this is the team to beat. The reason why is simple: they have two of the very best hockey players on the planet in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Those two provide a scoring punch that no other team can hope to match. However, goaltending is a clear weakness here, and many see that as enough of a reason to predict they won’t go the distance again.
Washington Capitals
Very few fans or sportsbooks would have considered the Capitals to be a Stanley Cup threat entering this season. Alexander Ovechkin is nearly 40, and the team is coming off a few
disappointing seasons.
However, the Capitals haven’t just been good.
They’ve been outright dominant. Ovechkin is scoring at a blistering pace, goaltender Logan Thompson has arrived as a star, and the secondary players have surpassed all expectations. Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Aliaksei Protas are all having career-best seasons. It is clear that this is a team that can win it all.
Winnipeg Jets
Fans thought they knew what the Winnipeg Jets were at this point. The Jets had consistently been a solid team but not one capable of making it to the biggest games. This year, the team looks
different. Behind Connor Hellebuyck, who is playing like the best goalie in the world and is very much in the Hart Trophy discussion, the Jets have obliterated the competition.
They’ve gotten balanced scoring from Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Gabriel Villardi, and their defence has held up.
While they have disappointed in the playoffs before, this team has earned the benefit of the doubt this year.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Betting on the Toronto Maple Leafs to win the Stanley Cup is not something that has been a wise investment over the course of the last 50+ years.
The Leafs are not known for their play-off success, but fans feel like this is the year when things could finally be different.
Their goalies have been exceptional, the offence is world-class, and this team has got to be hungry from all the years of collapsing in big moments.
They have the superstar talent, with Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, and William Nylander all being incredible. The question is, can they perform under the brightest lights?
