Through the first quarter of the NHL season, the Boston Bruins (13-3-5) are the top pick to win the 2020 Stanley Cup at 8/1 odds, according to William Hill. The Bruins lost in the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals to the St. Louis Blues, but they’re seeking to return to the finals once again.
The Washington Capitals (16-4-4) are the top team in the Eastern Conference, and the Caps lead the NHL with 36 points. The New York Islanders (15-3-1) are tied with the Bruins with 31 points. Barry Trotz’s Islanders are 14/1 odds to win the Stanley Cup.
Updated Stanley Cup OddsÂ
Boston Bruins 8/1
Tampa Bay Lightning 9/1
Washington Capitals 9/1
Colorado Avalanche 11/1
St. Louis Blues 11/1
Vegas Golden Knights 14/1
NY Islanders 14/1
Toronto Maple Leafs 14/1
*** via William Hill
The Toronto Maple Leafs (9-10-4) are the highest-ranked Canadian team on the board at 14/1 odds to win the Stanley Cup. The Leafs were 9/1 favorites to win the Cup at the start of the season. After a slow start with only 22 points in 23 games, the Leafs fired head coach Mike Babcock. Toronto team president Brendan Shanahan promoted Sheldon Keefe, who coached the Leafs’ minor league team.
The Leafs are trying to become the first Canada-based team to win the NHL championship since 1993. The Montreal Canadiens were the last team from Canada to hoist the Stanley Cup.
Three Amigos in the East
The Caps were the first team in the NHL to win 10 games. Alex Ovechkin and the Caps are the team to beat, but don’t tell that to their former head coach, Barry Trotz, who now manages the Islanders.
Trotz brought his defensive style of hockey to Long Island, and its paid hefty dividends over the last two seasons. The Islanders are in the middle of a super-hot streak right now. They are 14-0-1 in their last 15 games, after suffering losses in three out of their first four games.
The Tampa Bay Lightning smoked everyone they played last season with an impressive 62 victories. They were almost too good, because they were unprepared for the playoffs. The Lightning were swept in the opening-round of the postseason by the Columbus Blue Jackets, which altered the remainder of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Tampa Bay is currently 9-7-2 after a sluggish start. They’re only three points away from last place in the East. If the season ended today, the Lightning wouldn’t make the playoffs, yet they’re still 9/1 odds to win the Cup.
Avs Out West
The St. Louis Blues (13-4-5) and Edmonton Oilers (14-6-3) lead the Western Conference with 31 points each. The defending champion Blues are only 11/1 odds to win the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons.
The Oilers aren’t even close to the top of the board at 25/1 odds to win the Cup. Leon Draisaitl leads the Oilers with 16 goals and 28 assists. Budding superstar, Connor McDavid is right behind with 15 goals and 28 assists.
The Colorado Avalanche (13-6-2) are third overall in the West with 28 points, and the young Avs are 11/1 odds to win the Stanley Cup. After a smoking-hot 7-0-1 start, the Avs recently busted a five-game losing streak by winning four out of their last five games to get back on track. They survived a Canadian road trip with a couple of banged-up goalies, including starter Philipp Grubauer, but managed to win three games with three different goalies.
Nathan MacKinnon leads the Avs with 13 goals, 18 assists, and 31 total points.
