Most teams in the NHL are on their way to wrapping up their respective seasons, which means it’s nearly time for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Stanley Cup is one of the most iconic images of all sports. The playoffs have offered many memories over the years and teams pour their hearts into trying to win hockey’s ultimate prize.
Despite this NHL season being shorted to 56 games because of the COVID-19 pandemic, winning the Stanley Cup in 2021 doesn’t mean anything less.
As it stands, the Colorado Avalanche have the best odds to win the Stanley Cup at +425, according to BetOnline. As it stands, the Avalanche have 56 points, which ties them for first place in the NHL.
The Avalanche are 13-0-2 in their last 15 games. The entire team is getting it done at both ends of the ice. Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen have over 40 points each already. Young defensemen like Samuel Girard and Cale Makar are two of the top young players at their position. Philipp Grubauer is 24-7-1 in net with a 1.83 goals against average, .926 save percentage and 5 shutouts. It just seems like everything is going right for the Avalanche. If they continue to extend their dominance over the NHL, they should be Stanley Cup favorites for the rest of the season.
Odds to Win 2021 NHL Stanley Cup
Odds via BetOnline as of Wednesday, April 7
- Colorado Avalanche +425
- Tampa Bay Lightning +700
- Vegas Golden Knights +750
- Toronto Maple Leafs +800
- New York Islanders +1200
- Washington Capitals +1200
- Carolina Hurricanes +1400
Complete odds available at BetOnline.ag.
Lightning Slipping as of Late
While they have the second-best odds (+700) to win the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup, the Tampa Bay Lightning haven’t been doing that well as of late. After winning five in a row in mid-March, the Lightning have lost five of their last seven games and are now third in the Central Division. The silver lining is that they’re not that far out of first, as only two points separate them from the top. They’re also the defending Stanley Cup Champions for a reason, so it’s never wise to count them out.
Despite the recent skid, it’s clear that oddsmakers still have faith in the Lightning. When the team lost Nikita Kucherov at the start of the season, people thought that was the end of the Lightning’s reign of terror in the league, but it wasn’t. Instead, defenseman Victor Hedman has put the team on his back. He leads the team in points (36) while being a frontrunner for the Norris Trophy.
Could Golden Knights Win the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup?
By now it’s fair to say that the Vegas Golden Knights have had a successful beginning to their franchise. The club is in the fourth season of its existence and has already been to the NHL Western Conference Finals twice, including a trip to the Stanley Cup in 2018. At +750, it’s fair to say they have a shot at winning it all this year.
The Golden Knights are four points back of the top spot in the NHL with many more games to go. Captain Mark Stone is having another impressive season, recording 41 points in 36 games. The team is getting tremendous play from both Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner in net. While their power play could use some work (17.5%), the Golden Knights have a top-5 penalty kill backing them up (85.0%). If they can turn their power play around, Vegas could start scaring teams in the playoffs more than they already are.
