LATEST UPDATE: With the regular season wrapped up, the scorching-hot Colorado Avalanche are +300 favorites in BetMGM’s NHL championship odds. One look at the standings will tell you why.

Colorado went 56-16-11 for 119 points, tops in the NHL. The Avs won four of their last five games and got points in all five, with the only setback a 3-2 overtime home loss to Vegas.

“Colorado is the most-bet-team by a wide margin, and the favorite for a majority of the season, as well,” BetMGM trading manager Christian Cipollini said. “Currently, we would be a slight winner due to the low price all year.

“But I’d imagine that [liability] will grow, should the Avalanche continue to advance.”

Colorado has double the ticket count and almost three times more money than any other team in Stanley Cup futures.

“The short price has not kept people away,” Cipollini said.

The Carolina Hurricanes (53-22-7, 113 points) had the NHL’s second-best mark and are now the +500 co-second choice. Joining the ‘Canes are the Tampa Bay Lightning (50-26-6, 106 points)

“Bettors have not jumped onto Tampa like they have Colorado,” Cipollini said.

Rounding out the top five in Stanley Cup futures are the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights, both +1000.

The top five in Stanley Cup futures tickets at BetMGM:

• Avalanche
• Golden Knights
• Stars
• Hurricanes
• Oilers

And the top five in Stanley Cup money:

• Avalanche
• Stars
• Oilers
• Wild
• Hurricanes

Knight Moves

The Golden Knights are an interesting story at the moment, having fired coach Bruce Cassidy on March 29, with eight games left in the regular season. John Tortorella is leading Vegas for whatever remains of this season.

Prior to Cassidy’s firing, the Golden Knights were in a 4-10-2 rut and stood seventh in the Western Conference. Yet BetMGM still had the Knights as the +1500 co-seventh choice in Stanley Cup odds, along with the Sabres.

Now, as noted above, Vegas is at +1000, finishing the regular season on a 7-0-1 run. The Knights went 39-27-16 (95 points), which was actually enough to win the Pacific Division.

Also as noted above, the Knights are No. 2 in ticket count, and they’re sixth in money.

“Vegas has taken action, being toward the top of the odds all year,” Cipollini said.

Sabre-Metrics

LATEST UPDATE: The Buffalo Sabres continue to impress this season, even leading the Eastern Conference for a perid of time. Buffalo finished the regular season at 50-23-9 (109 points).

After the March 6 trade deadline, the Sabres leapt from +3600 to +1900. Now, the Sabres are the +1400 seventh choice. Buffalo is among the surprises of the season, after opening a distant +15000 (150/1) last summer.

“The Sabres were as high as 200/1 toward the end of November. Plenty of people got them at long odds,” Cipollini said. “Right now, they are a loser for the book, and I would expect liability to grow, should they advance a round or two.”

Needs and Liabilities

LATEST UPDATE: Which teams are a legit concern in BetMGM’s risk room?

“The Penguins are actually our largest liability, along with the Canadiens, Bruins and Flyers all losing outcomes,” Cipollini said. “Of the teams closer to the top, the Oilers have been a losing outcome all season.”

Edmonton (41-30-11, 93 points) lost to Florida in each of the last two Stanley Cup Finals. The Oilers are the +1300 sixth choice in BetMGM’s Stanley Cup futures odds.

Pittsburgh (41-25-16, 98 points) is in the playoffs after missing out the last three years. The Penguins actually face the Flyers (43-27-12, 98 points) in the first round. Pittsburgh is +2200 and Philadelphia a distant +6600 in odds to win the Stanley Cup.

Boston (45-27-10, 100 points) is also a longer shot at +6000.

As for BetMGM’s preferred outcomes:

“I feel like it’s been the same few teams the last few years. The Lightning, Hurricanes and Stars are all great outcomes for the book,” Cipollini said. “And the Avalanche, while a winner right now, probably won’t hold that way.”

Opening Odds To Win 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Final

The Florida Panthers have won two straight Stanley Cups. Florida opened as the +750 second choice to three-peat, but as noted above, has fallen apart. The Edmonton Oilers have lost two straight Cup Finals, but opened as the +650 favorite to win next season.

Opening odds for all teams, from BetMGM:

• Edmonton Oilers: +650
• Florida Panthers: +750
• Colorado Avalanche: +800
• Dallas Stars: +850
• Carolina Hurricanes: +900
• Vegas Golden Knights: +1200
• Tampa Bay Lightning: +1500
• New Jersey Devils: +1800
• Los Angeles Kings: +2000
• Toronto Maple Leafs: +2000
• Winnipeg Jets: +2200
• Washington Capitals: +2800
• New York Rangers: +3000
• Ottawa Senators: +3300
• Minnesota Wild: +3500
• St. Louis Blues: +4000
• Utah Mammoth: +4000
• Vancouver Canucks: +5000
• New York Islanders: +6600
• Columbus Blue Jackets: +8000
• Montreal Canadiens: +8000
• Calgary Flames: +9000
• Nashville Predators: +9000
• Boston Bruins: +10000
• Detroit Red Wings: +10000
• Philadelphia Flyers: +10000
• Anaheim Ducks: +15000
• Buffalo Sabres: +15000
• Pittsburgh Penguins: +20000
• Seattle Kraken: +30000
• Chicago Blackhawks: +50000
• San Jose Sharks: +50000

  CURRENT ODDS to win Stanley Cup!

• Colorado Avalanche +300
• Carolina Hurricanes +475
• Tampa Bay Lightning +525
• Dallas Stars +1000
• Vegas Golden Knights +1000
• Edmonton Oilers +1200
• Buffalo Sabres +1400
• Ottawa Senators +1500
• Minnesota Wild +1600
• Pittsburgh Penguins +2500
• Montreal Canadiens +4000
• Utah Mammoth +4000
• Anaheim Ducks +6600
• Boston Bruins +6600
• Los Angeles Kings +6600
• Philadelphia Flyers +8000