Stanley Cup Hand-Off Odds 2025: Which Non-Captain Will Be First to Hoist Stanley Cup?

While players probably don't give it much thought in the heat of the playoffs, hockey bettors certainly do. So, who will be the first non-captain to hoist the Stanley Cup?
Stanley Cup Futures Odds: Burns the Favorite to Become First Non-Captain to Hoist Cup
Pictured: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns takes a shot against the Washington Capitals. Photo by James Guillory via Imagn Images

The greatest honor bestowed upon an NHL player is hoisting the Stanley Cup aloft. While captains get to slap their sweaty hands on the oversized tin cup first, who the second player is to lift the Cup presents an intriguing and potentially profitable proposition. 

So, who are the Stanley Cup hand-off odds favorites for 2025? For obvious reasons, Brent Burns is the front-runner, with the stalwart playing for eons without winning the Holy Grail. 

Here's a look at the rest of the favorites and their accompanying odds. 

🤝 Stanley Cup hand-off odds

Stanley Cup hand-off odds via FanDuel.

Player Odds (via FanDuel) Implied probability Profit ($10 bet)
Brent Burns +330 23.26% $33
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins +600 14.29% $60
Tyler Seguin +650 13.33% $65
Matt Duchene +650 13.33% $65
Leon Draisaitl +700 12.50% $70
Aaron Ekblad +700 12.50% $70
Brad Marchand +1600 5.88% $160
Nate Schmidt +2400 4% $240
Matthew Tkachuk +2900 3.33% $290
Sergei Bobrovsky +2900 3.33% $290

Which non-captain will be the first to hoist Stanley Cup?

  • Brent Burns has played 21 seasons, three with Carolina, and is still searching for his first Stanley Cup
  • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has played 14 seasons with Edmonton, making the Stanley Cup Final twice
  • Tyler Seguin has played 15 seasons (12 with Dallas) and won the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in his rookie season
  • Matt Duchene has played 18 seasons with five teams but has never won the Cup

🤖 Stanley Cup hand-off 2025 AI prediction

We asked ChatGPT, a large language model chatbot from OpenAI, for its best Stanley Cup hand-off prediction. 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.

🏆 Most likely to hoist the Cup first: Brent Burns

Burns checks every box: long, decorated career, never won the Cup, beloved in the locker room, and playing perhaps his final seasons. If Carolina wins, it would be poetic and likely for Staal to pass the Cup to him first  - much like how Ovechkin handed it to Brooks Orpik in 2018.

Best odds: +330 via FanDuel

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📜 Stanley Cup hand-off betting history

The first non-captain to lift the Stanley Cup in the last 10 years

Year Non-captain recipient
2024 Sergei Bobrovsky
2023 Reilly Smith
2022 Erik Johnson
2021 Victor Hedman
2020 Victor Hedman
2019 Jay Bouwmeester
2018 Nicklas Backstrom
2017 Ron Hainsey
2016 Trevor Daley
2015 Kimmo Timonen
2014 Robyn Regehr

📖 Opening Stanley Cup hand-off odds

  • Brent Burns (+330)
  • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (+600)
  • Tyler Seguin (+650)
  • Matt Duchene (+650)
  • Leon Draisaitl (+700)
  • Aaron Ekblad (+700)
  • Brad Marchand (+1600)
  • Nate Schmidt (+2400)
  • Matthew Tkachuk (+2900)
  • Sergei Bobrovsky (+2900)

❓ Stanley Cup hand-off FAQs

When does the Stanley Cup Final start?

The 2024 Stanley Cup Final began Saturday, June 8 and finished on June 24. Those are rough dates to expect the 2025 final to be played.

Who was the first non-captain in 2024 to hoist the Stanley Cup?

Aleksander Barkov first passed the Cup to Sergei Bobrovsky when the Panthers hoisted in the Cup in 2024.

When did the last non-captain receive the Cup first in consecutive years?

Steven Stamkos passed the Stanley Cup directly to Victor Hedman after the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021. 

💵 Best hockey betting sites

Want to bet on the Stanley Cup playoffs? Check out the best NHL betting sites and best sportsbook promos for today's games:

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