Stanley Cup Odds & Favorites 2026: Champion Panthers Short Favorite Ahead of NHL Draft

The Florida Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup over the Edmonton Oilers, and the heated adversaries are top contenders for the 2026 Stanley Cup odds heading into the draft.

Gary Pearson

Last Updated: June 26, 2025 8:42 AM EDT • 4 minute read

Stanley Cup Odds & Favorites 2026: Betting Lines for 2026 NHL Final — Pictured: Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand walks with the Stanley Cup during the Stanley Cup championship parade and rally. Photo by Sam Navarro via Imagn Images.

The Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup champions again, but the back-to-back championships are in the rearview mirror as we look toward the NFL draft. The Cats have opened as the 2026 Stanley Cup odds favorites, slightly ahead of the Edmonton Oilers, the team they knocked off again in the Stanley Cup Final. Will Friday's NHL Entry Draft lead to any blockbuster moves that shake up the oddsboard?

Although no picks went the other way, the Utah Mammoth made a splash by picking up JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday; they're still hovering around the +4000 mark that they opened at.

Here are the early 2026 Stanley Cup odds, along with a winner's pick from AI via ChatGPT.

🔢 Odds to win 2026 Stanley Cup

Our Stanley Cup odds update in real time based on the odds at our best NHL betting sites. See the NHL odds for the best odds on each game once the 2025-26 season begins.

🤖 Stanley Cup 2026 AI prediction

We asked ChatGPT, a large language model chatbot from OpenAI, for its best prediction to win the Stanley Cup. Please note that ChatGPT is not an experienced bettor but can provide additional information and insights into the tournament and betting markets. This is for entertainment purposes only.

🏆 Stanley Cup prediction: Edmonton Oilers

🔍 Why Edmonton?

1. Connor McDavid’s championship window

McDavid is in the prime of his career, and after leading the 2025 Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final with one of the most dominant playoff performances in history, he’s proven he can deliver in high-pressure moments
His two-way game has grown, and his leadership is at an all-time high. If 2024 and 2025 were his warning shots, 2026 may be his coronation

2. Draisaitl’s likely extension

While there’s speculation about his long-term future, Draisaitl is still under contract through the 2025-26 season, meaning the Oilers will have one last guaranteed year of the NHL’s most dangerous 1-2 punch
He remains a playoff assassin - elite in transition, lethal on the power play

3. Improved supporting cast

The 2025 playoffs showed that Edmonton’s depth is no longer a liability. Players like Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm, and Zach Hyman form a well-rounded group
Management’s recent moves to improve defensive responsibility and secondary scoring have paid off

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📖 Opening Stanley Cup odds

Here are the opening 2026 Stanley Cup odds via FanDuel:

Panthers: +750
Oilers: +750
Hurricanes: +900
Avalanche: +1000
Stars: +1200
Golden Knights: +1200
Lightning: +1600
Devils: +2000
Kings: +2000
Maple Leafs: +3000
Jets: +3500
Capitals: +3500
Senators: +4000
Rangers: +4000
Mammoth: +4000
Wild: +4500
Blues: +5000
Canucks: +5500
Islanders: +6600
Flames: +10000
Flyers: +10000
Predators: +10000
Canadiens: +10000
Red Wings: +12500
Blue Jackets: +12500
Bruins: +12500
Sabres: +15000
Penguins: +28000
Kraken: +31000
Ducks: +39000
Sharks: +50000
Blackhawks: +50000

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📜 Stanley Cup betting history

Here are recent Stanley Cup winners and their preseason betting odds:

Year	Team	Preseason odds
2025	Florida Panthers	+900
2024	Florida Panthers	+2000
2023	Vegas Golden Knights	+1800
2022	Colorado Avalanche	+600
2021	Tampa Bay Lightning	+900
2020	Tampa Bay Lightning	+675
2019	St. Louis Blues	+3000
2018	Washington Capitals	+1125
2017	Pittsburgh Penguins	+1100
2016	Pittsburgh Penguins	+1300
2015	Chicago Blackhawks	+700
2014	Los Angeles Kings	+1200

❓ Stanley Cup Final FAQs

Who is the Stanley Cup Final favorite?

The Florida Panthers are the 2026 Stanley Cup odds favorites. Their best odds stand at +750, representing an implied win probability of 11.76%, according to our odds converter.

Who won the last Stanley Cup?

The Panthers defeated the Oilers in six games, beating Edmonton for the second straight final.

When did the NHL playoffs start?

The playoffs started on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

When does the Stanley Cup Final start?

The 2025 Stanley Cup Final began on Wednesday, June 4 and ended on June 17.

When was the last back-to-back Stanley Cup winner?

The Florida Panthers won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025. Previously, the Tampa Bay Lightning won it in 2020 and 2021, the Pittsburgh Penguins won it in 2016 and 2017, and the Detroit Red Wings in 1996 and 1997.

When was the last Stanley Cup three-peat?

The New York Islanders won four Stanley Cups in a row from 1980 to 1983.

🥅 NHL betting odds pages

Stanley Cup Odds	Hart Trophy Odds	Calder Trophy Odds
Norris Trophy Odds	Vezina Trophy Odds	Rocket Richard Odds
Jack Adams Award Odds	Conn Smythe Trophy Odds	NHL Draft Odds

🏒 Best hockey betting sites

Looking to bet on the 2026 Stanley Cup? Here are the best NHL betting sites as determined by our expert team at Sportsbook Review, along with the best sportsbook promos:

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Written by:
Gary Pearson

Gary Pearson has written professionally since 2010, focusing on sports betting since 2014. Before entering the sports betting space, he contributed to the Canadian Press, FanSided, the Hockey Writers, the Calgary Herald, and other publications. His work has also been featured in Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report. Gary, who consumes sports like a blue whale devours plankton, has a penchant for writing predictions and analyses across several sports, including hockey, soccer, football, tennis, and more. He bets regularly, preferring single-game picks, props, and live betting. While there isn't a sport he has yet to dabble in, Gary prefers betting on soccer, hockey, and football. He studied at various post-secondary institutions, including the University of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic, and Griffith University, located in Brisbane, Australia. Gary has a marketing degree and completed his bachelor's degree in journalism at Griffith University. He feels strongly that life experience is as essential as post-secondary education, helping formulate more accurate predictions and analyses. Gary believes that competing at a high level of amateur sports during his formative years helped him better understand an athlete's psyche and the nuances and complexities of a team's dynamic, both on and off the playing surface. He feels that knowledge is immeasurably important when offering his analytical expertise. He has lived on five continents and currently resides in Canada.