We’re still a few months away from the start of the new NHL season, but now that free agency is through, we have a pretty clear idea of who could win a Stanley Cup Trophy in 2026. So do the best betting sites for NHL, which have odds up now. Want to get our free pick(s)? Keep on reading then cause we’re laying it out right here!
2026 Stanley Cup Odds
Before making a prediction, we need to see how the Stanley Cup odds are being pegged. As it stands, here’s the most up-to-date odds on the next NHL champion:
We don’t expect odds to change from now until the regular season opener in October. That’s because most teams are set — players were drafted, free agency passed, and teams are who they are. Lines won’t start shifting drastically until games are being played. That’s why we’re taking a futures bet on the Stanley Cup right now. We know enough to make an educated guess that could pay big time next June! Speaking of which, let’s get into our picks!
Best Bets To Win 2026 Stanley Cup
This is an absolute necessity when betting on the next Stanley Cup winner: don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Not in hockey. Not in the league with the most unpredictable playoffs year in, year out. Remember the Bruins setting the league record in wins then getting bounced in the first round a few years ago? That’s commonplace in the NHL so you need more than one bet here. Our priority betting list is as follows:
Florida Panthers
By the way, we’re listing our three Stanley Cup picks in order from highest to lowest priority for a bet. Look, we could argue a good 10 teams could win the whole thing, but there’s not enough money to go around. So out of all the teams we like, the Panthers are the most must-bet.
Why? Because this is a dynasty in the making — if they’re not already one. They beat the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals a second year in a row. They’ve also played in the final three times in a row (they lost the first time to the Golden Knights). This season will be their chance at an illustrious threepeat, a feat that hasn’t been done since the 1980s Islanders teams.
New York pulled it off in an era where teams stayed together longer. The explosion of free agency has made that near impossible to do in the modern era, yet the Panthers are proving to be an exception. The team had three key pieces — Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand — available in free agency. Somehow, someway, they brought all three back. So the 2025-26 will largely be the same as the team that just won it.
We think Florida is a no-brainer bet as there can be here. Sure, you do have to worry about complacency or fatigue ruining their three-peat chances. But aside from that, there’s not much to nitpick about this roster. Until they’re defeated for good, we have a hard time not putting a sizable bet on the reigning champs.
Vegas Golden Knights
As we said, Vegas has been the only team able to topple this dynasty-in-the-making Panthers side the past three years. Odds are high they might be able to do it again.
The Golden Knights won the offseason with the acquisition of Mitch Marner. He had a whopping 102 points a year ago for Toronto so his addition is an instant boost to Vegas' attack. Only 28 years old, few players are as good at setting up goals as Marner.
Obviously, he wasn’t cheap so the Golden Knights have effectively put themselves in win-now mode. Who’s to say they won’t add another piece at the trade deadline to put them over the top before the salary cap bills come due? We wouldn’t put it past this organization, hence our confidence in this wager.
Dallas Stars
We wanted to stay out West for this pick. The conference is more wide-open then the East, which has the loaded Panthers ready to meet any challenger. Out of the bunch, we like the Stars most (after the Knights).
More than anything, this is a bet on new coach Glen Gulutza being able to get Dallas “over the hump.” They’ve been routine Conference Finals participants the past few years, but keep falling short. The new coach and the first full season with Mikko Rantanen could be the jolt they need to get through.
How To Bet On NHL Futures?
NHL futures bets are not just reserved for the Stanley Cup winner. No, no, not even close. You can also bet on conference championships, Hart Trophy, Vezina Trophy, and a host of other things. If you need a one-stop shop for all these bets, hit one of the sites listed below.
Even better, these sites also offer lucrative sportsbook bonuses. That’s hundreds to thousands of dollars in free play available to you — money you can spend on these NHL bets. Get your free-play deals below!
