Parity is afoot in the NHL.
After a Game 7 victory against the Edmonton Oilers, the Florida Panthers are hoisting the Stanley Cup Trophy and will hold onto it through the summer, and FanDuel has them favored to do the same thing this time next year.
Florida is +900 to repeat as champions next year, which is a number that is agreed upon by most major sportsbooks in the betting industry.
However, those +900 (10.00 percent implied) odds are the highest among every other Big Five sport for a favorite, as it’s hard even to call a bet like that as a likely outcome.
For a sport like basketball, the Celtics are +250 (28.57 percent implied) to repeat as champions, a significantly more likely outcome based on odds.
The Panthers are followed by the Colorado Avalance (+950) and Carolina Hurricanes (+950), with five teams within just a few percentage points of each other.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Florida Panthers | +900 |
| Colorado Avalanche | +950 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +950 |
| Dallas Stars | 10/1 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 10/1 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 11/1 |
| New Jersey Devils | 13/1 |
| New York Rangers | 13/1 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 14/1 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 18/1 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 19/1 |
| Tamba Bay Lightning | 19/1 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 21/1 |
| Boston Bruins | 23/1 |
| Nsshville Predators | 31/1 |
| Minnesota Wild | 31/1 |
| Ottawa Senators | 32/1 |
| New York Islanders | 42/1 |
| St. Louis Blues | 42/1 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 43/1 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 55/1 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 55/1 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 55/1 |
| Calgary Flames | 60/1 |
| Seattle Kraken | 80/1 |
| Utah Hockey Club | 100/1 |
| Washington Capitals | 170/1 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 170/1 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 300/1 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 300/1 |
| San Jose Sharks | 300/1 |
However, all sportsbooks have different odds and projections.
For instance, Bet365 actually has the Oilers as favorites at +700.
Bizarrely enough, Bet365 has the Devils sitting at 10/1, tied with the Avalanche for fifth and higher than the Rangers who were just two wins away from a Stanley Cup Final berth.
New Jersey did finally snag a new goalie via trade; Jacob Malstrom is a welcomed addition to a struggling goaltending unit.
The difference in odds is dramatic and bettors would be wise to price shop this market before placing wagers.