It wasn’t long after Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins were finished hoisting the Stanley Cup that hockey fans began looking towards next season.
With the upcoming expansion draft and 2017 NHL Draft around the corner, clubs really don’t have any down time before they become fully immersed in off-season mode.
The Penguins haven’t even planned their parade route yet but betting odds for next season have already been released.
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Not surprisingly, Mike Sullivan’s team currently sits as the favourite to win a third consecutive Cup. It would be an incredible feat considering the last franchise to win it all more than two years in a row was the New York Islanders when they won four straight from 1980-1983. The core of Pittsburgh’s roster (Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, Letang, Murray etc…) is expected to remain intact so the Penguins going on another Cup run is well within the realm of possibility.
While Crosby has cemented his legacy as an all-time great with back-to-back Conn Smythe Trophies, the next generation of NHL stars are aiming to carve out their own piece of history.
Connor McDavid and his young Edmonton Oilers have the second-best odds heading into next season, while Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs are among the top 10 favourites to win it all. The Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets find themselves in the middle of the pack. The Vancouver Canucks have the worst odds among the seven Canadian teams.
The expansion Vegas Golden Knights currently have the worst odds overall, which is understandable considering they only have three players under contract and the eventual makeup of their roster is a complete mystery.
Here is the full list of teams and their odds.
| TEAM | 2016-17 RESULT | 2017-18 ODDS |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Penguins | Stanley Cup champions | 9-1 |
| Edmonton Oilers | Eliminated in second round | 10-1 |
| Washington Capitals | Eliminated in second round | 10-1 |
| Anaheim Ducks | Lost in Western Conference Final | 14-1 |
| Nashville Predators | Lost in Stanley Cup Final | 14-1 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | Eliminated in first round | 14-1 |
| Minnesota Wild | Eliminated in first round | 14-1 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | Eliminated in first round | 16-1 |
| Boston Bruins | Eliminated in first round | 16-1 |
| New York Rangers | Eliminated in second round | 18-1 |
| Los Angeles Kings | Missed playoffs | 18-1 |
| Montreal Canadiens | Eliminated in first round | 20-1 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | Eliminated in first round | 20-1 |
| San Jose Sharks | Eliminated in first round | 20-1 |
| St. Louis Blues | Eliminated in second round | 20-1 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | Missed playoffs | 20-1 |
| Dallas Stars | Missed playoffs | 20-1 |
| Ottawa Senators | Lost in Eastern Conference Final | 25-1 |
| Florida Panthers | Missed playoffs | 33-1 |
| Calgary Flames | Eliminated in first round | 33-1 |
| New York Islanders | Missed playoffs | 40-1 |
| Winnipeg Jets | Missed playoffs | 40-1 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | Missed playoffs | 40-1 |
| Buffalo Sabres | Missed playoffs | 50-1 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | Missed playoffs | 66-1 |
| Detroit Red Wings | Missed playoffs | 80-1 |
| Arizona Coyotes | Missed playoffs | 80-1 |
| Colorado Avalanche | Missed playoffs | 80-1 |
| New Jersey Devils | Missed playoffs | 100-1 |
| Vancouver Canucks | Missed playoffs | 100-1 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | N/A | 200-1 |
