After a multitude of free agent signings and some surprising trades the dust is starting to settle on the NHL offseason moves. There are still a few free agents left out there and arbitration hearings are coming up, but most of the big names are off the market. So what has that done to the Stanley Cup odds?
Right off the top there are now co-favorites to win the Stanley Cup next season with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks both getting +900 odds at Bodog.
Pittsburgh, the reigning Cup champs, have done very little during the offseason, because they had very few holes to fill. Pittsburgh’s big guns, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and Kris Letang, are all returning and with Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray expected to share the net to start the season. As well, Pittsburgh doesn’t have much cap space to work with.
The Blackhawks added Brian Campbell, but said goodbye to Andrew Shaw, Andrew Ladd, Teuvo Teravainen, Bryan Bickell and Dale Weise. The core of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith remains intact, but their depth will look much different next season.
Next on the odds list are the Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning, both at +1100.
The Capitals were the Stanley Cup favorites for most of last season, but once again stumbled in the playoffs. Washington did post the best record in the NHL last season, so wisely they didn’t make a bunch of changes. Washington’s only notable additions were depth forwards Lars Eller and Brett Connolly.
The Lightning may be the envy of all other teams so far this offseason. Tampa Bay brought back captain Steven Stamkos and locked up defenseman Victor Hedman and netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy. Next on the list is a contract for Nikita Kucherov. Tampa Bay is loaded with young talent and most of them are under control for a long time, which likely means the Lightning will be in the Stanley Cup conversation for a number of years.
The biggest offseason trade so far was arguably the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators swapping PK Subban and Shea Weber. What has that blockbuster trade done to the odds? Nashville sits at +1400, while Montreal is a +3300 underdog.
Nashville was knocked out in the second round of the playoffs last season, but it will be interesting to see what they can do with Subban now on the blueline and a full season with Ryan Johansen.
Montreal had the best record in the NHL at one point last season before crashing and burning and missing the postseason entirely. The Weber addition, though, may not be as important as the hopeful return of a healthy Carey Price for Montreal.
Odd to Win 2017 Stanley Cup at Bodog
Pittsburgh Penguins +900
Chicago Blackhawks +900
Washington Capitals +1100
Tampa Bay Lightning +1100
Dallas Stars +1200
St. Louis Blues +1400
San Jose Sharks +1400
Nashville Predators +1400
Los Angeles Kings +1600
Anaheim Ducks +1600
Florida Panthers +1600
Minnesota Wild +2500
New York Rangers +2500
Detroit Red Wings +2500
New York Islanders +2500
Boston Bruins +2500
Montreal Canadiens +3300
Philadelphia Flyers +3300
Edmonton Oilers +3300
New Jersey Devils +4000
Colorado Avalanche +5000
Calgary Flames +5000
Ottawa Senators +5000
Winnipeg Jets +5000
Toronto Maple Leafs +5000
Buffalo Sabres +5000
Arizona Coyotes +6600
Carolina Hurricanes +6600
Columbus Blue Jackets +6600
Vancouver Canucks +6600