Sportsbooks divided on Cup favorite for 2026

Odds to triumph the 2026 Stanley Cup are already up astatine sportsbooks, and determination is disagreement successful the betting marketplace regarding which squad should beryllium the favourite heading into the offseason.

Depending connected what sportsbook you look at, the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes oregon Colorado Avalanche are adjacent season's Stanley Cup favorites.

The Panthers finished disconnected the Oilers 5-1 successful Game 6 Tuesday nighttime to assistance the Cup for a 2nd consecutive season. But oddsmakers aren't convinced Florida is the clear-cut favourite to marque it 3 successful a row.

At ESPN BET, the Panthers, Oilers and Avs were co-favorites, each listed astatine +700 arsenic of Tuesday. Colorado had been the outright favourite past week astatine +650, earlier the sportsbook tweaked the Avs' likelihood to bring them successful enactment with Florida and Edmonton.

"There's a batch much questions astir the Panthers and Oilers than the Avalanche, who are acceptable to instrumentality a bulk of their roster and person the payment of a longer offseason," Adrian Horton, trading manager for ESPN BET, said. "Colorado should besides participate adjacent play steadfast and fresh, portion Florida and Edmonton person accumulated deterioration and teardrop from consecutive heavy playoff runs."

DraftKings had the Oilers arsenic adjacent season's favorites, portion FanDuel had the Hurricanes arsenic the favorites Tuesday, up of Game 6.

Horton pointed to question marks astir what the Panthers' roster volition look similar aft escaped agency, and helium wondered astir the toll losing back-to-back Stanley Cup finals would person connected the Oilers.

"The Avs, connected the different hand, person 19 retired of 23 roster spots nether contract, including a steadfast Gabriel Landeskog and 2 of the champion players successful the satellite successful Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon," Horton said.

The Hurricanes (+800) and Dallas Stars (+900) circular retired the apical tier of teams successful ESPN BET's likelihood to triumph the 2026 Stanely Cup.

The Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks are the biggest agelong shots entering the offseason, some listed astatine 500-1.