The Colorado Avalanche started the 2021-22 NHL season as the +475 favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year at DraftKings Sportsbook. After more than half the season, those odds remain unchanged, with Colorado still outpacing all of its rivals at the top of the board.
The Avalanche lead the Western Conference with 68 points, and have gone on a 9-0-1 run to close out the first half of the season.
Colorado leads tier of clear Stanley Cup contenders
Colorado effectively has the best record in the NHL right now. While the Florida Panthers (+700) have collected one more point, they’ve also played three more games. Various teams have played as few as 39 or as many as 48 games thus far this season, a sign of COVID-19’s impact on the schedule.
The Panthers have been one of the biggest movers towards the top of the Stanley Cup odds board. Florida started the year at +1800, but are now the joint second choice to win the title this year. They join the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs at +700 odds, trailing only the Avalanche.
| Stanley Cup Odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook) | |
| Colorado Avalanche: +475 | Toronto Maple Leafs: +700 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning: +700 | Florida Panthers: +700 |
| Vegas Golden Knights: +800 | Carolina Hurricanes: +1300 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins: +1500 | Minnesota Wild: +1700 |
| Boston Bruins: +1800 | New York Rangers: +2200 |
The Vegas Golden Knights round of the top tier of Stanley Cup contenders. Vegas leads the Pacific Division on 57 points, and remain a force in the Western Conference. DraftKings lists the Golden Knights as a +800 pick to earn their first title this season.
Other top contenders at the halfway point include the Carolina Hurricanes (+1300), Pittsburgh Penguins (+1700), and Boston Bruins (+1800). Meanwhile, other early favorites have fallen from the ranks of Stanley Cup contenders.
Seattle disappoints in first season
The expansion Seattle Kraken have suffered the largest fall from grace. The Kraken started the year as a +4000 choice to win the Stanley Cup. While excitement about the new franchise – not to mention memories of Vegas’ magical first season – fueled some of that number, it also reflected what many saw as a solid Seattle roster that was built to be at least somewhat competitive right off the bat.
Those hopes haven’t panned out. The Kraken have just 34 points in 46 games, ranking last in the Pacific Division. With Seattle far out of playoff contention, DraftKings now rates it as a +50000 longshot to make a Stanley Cup run in the second half.
The Edmonton Oilers are also struggling at the midway point of the season. While Edmonton started as a +2000 pick, the Oilers drifted to +4000 as their star power has been unable to prevent the team from going through long periods of losing hockey.
Still, Edmonton has a chance to get back into the playoff mix. The Oilers sit in fifth place in the Pacific Division, but have only played 42 games. That could help them catch up with the Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Ducks atop the division, all of whom have already played at least 46 games.