2026 Stanley Cup odds: Panthers project as favorites again, Mitch Marner makes Golden Knights attractive

Last month, Florida Panthers raised the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive season after defeating Edmonton Oilers in six games. It marked the second consecutive campaign in which the Panthers were able to go to the top against the Oilers.

Shortly after the panthers won everything, the Nhl The low season was in full evolution with the 2025 project and the free agency. Most free agents of the league have already signed with new teamswhich means that the 2025-26 season is in a clearer view.

With a large piece of free agency wrapped, we delve into which teams have a good opportunity to make a race in the 2026 Stanley Cup from a betting perspective.

Probabilities via Fanduel

Florida Panthers (+700)

It is not a surprise that the panthers project as a favorite to win the Stanley Cup next season. After all, CEO Bill Zito was able to sign Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad again, who were planning to be free agents without restrictions this summer. This is approximately the same group, apart from Jeff Petry, replacing Nate Schmidt in defense after Schmidt signed with Utah’s Mammoth at the free agency. The Florida hockey brand continuously gave teams in the Playoffs of the Stanley Cup; They simply beat most of the teams they faced. Except for any important kind of injury, it is difficult to imagine a world in which the panthers do not do another deep career at the Stanley Cup in 2025-26.

Listen, I know what you are thinking about. We heard this song and dance when it comes to hurricanes in previous years. It is a group that has been seen as a favorite of the Stanley Cup on several occasions, but has never been able to overcome the final of the Eastern Conference. After Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen’s experiments failed, the hurricanes went through the fences this season to sign the ex-winnipeg Winnipeg Winger Nikolaj Ehlers on a six-year contract. Ehlers brings speed to Carolina’s program, while adding a ton of goal skills to the top six. This speed could be reduced when hurricanes inevitably have to go down to the panthers if they want to make a race in the Lord Stanley Cup.

It is a story as old as time: the Golden Knights have acquired an elite player as they chased another Stanley Cup. The Vegas Office Front has been cautious in the wind in the past by landing players such as Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and Noah Hanifin in recent years. Before starting the free agency, Golden Knights released a record and trade to acquire Mitch Marner at the Leafs Toronto Maple and signed it to an eight -year agreement. Marner’s post -season season record has recently questioned, but he instantly gives the Golden Knights another 100 -point player. In addition to Marner, the team also collected some depth in the form of Colton Sissons and a depth defender of Jeremy Lauzon. As the teams are currently built, the Golden Knights offer a great amount of value as a potential winner of the Stanley Cup with Marner now in the fold. In fact, they can be the second best team behind the Panthers next to next season.

Edmonton Oilers (+850)

For the second straight campaign, the Oilers were the Panthers in the Stanley Cup final. At this point, the oilers have to ask what to do to demolish the panthers. This will be a very different group than Edmonton has left in the last two seasons. The veteran striker Corey Perry left the city to sign with the kings of Los Angeles, while Victor Arvidsson was marketed at the Boston Bruins. Edmonton collected Andrew Mangiapane, who offered a second line score. The biggest problem for the oilers is still their goal and it seems that they could return it with the tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. If the Oilers do not get in the next season, it could be the last year of Connor McDavid with the franchise, as it will be a free agent next summer.

When the stars disembarked Mikko Rantanen in the deadline, it was expected that the stars could fight for a Stanley Cup this past season. However, the stars were short, they turned to the Western conference final for the third consecutive season. It is the same distribution that returns to Dallas, apart from the term acquisition, Mikael Granlund, which could be a loss of quite large size. However, it is a team that has a large amount of depth within the first three lines. A complete season of Rantanen with his new teammates could make wonders, while the new leadership could also be a blessing disguised with coach Gulutzan behind the bench. The West could be a four -team race between the Golden Knights, Oilers, Colorado Avalanche and Stars next season. However, the stars may need to do some adjustments later to the campaign to be seen as favorites in the West.

Colorado Avalanche (+900)

The avalanche certainly can never be counted on a Stanley’s career. Colorado added the tastes of the defender Brent Burns and was able to sign Brock Nelson again this summer, but he is especially the same group that returns. It is worth noting that Captain Gabriel Landeskog will not be so rusty next season and will have a complete low season under the belt. The same is true of Martin Necas, who was acquired from the hurricanes in the Mikko Rantanen agreement last season. Personally, it is difficult to imagine the avalanche by jumping the Golden Knights, Oilers and Stars in the Western pecking order from a prospect of future, as they are currently built.

Lightning were a team that many (including myself) believed that they had the opportunity to do another Cup Stanley as a result of the panthers could be without Matthew Tkachuk in the later season. However, this did not end, as the Panthers passed the lightning in five games in the initial round of the Playoffs of the Stanley Cup. However, lightning bolts have a lot of talent and clearly do not throw themselves on the towel when it comes to this veteran group. The usual suspects are maintained, and it is difficult to count on a team that has Andrei Vasilevskiy to clean. Although they are not a team that is worth classifying -as the potential winner of the Stanley Cup, a daring commercial term movement could place them at the top for a possible race in the Stanley Cup.

Toronto Maple Leafs (+2000)

I don’t say, I’m not saying that Maple Leafs are a team that the Bettors have to hit their wagons, but they are an intriguing team despite losing Mitch Marner this summer. Although Marner is definitely a great thing, it is a situation where both sides needed divorcing. Toronto still has all the benefits of creating a new version of the “Core Four” in Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares and Matthew Knies. Knies is expected to have a large amount of production after registering a season of 29 goals by 2024-25. The addition of the wing Matias Maccelli in a trade with the Mammoth of Utah was a very undervalued collection. After all, Maccelli had a 57 -point campaign two seasons ago, so it could be a good addition for maple leaves. Nicolas Roy was also purchased at Marner’s trade, which contributes to Toronto deeper to the center of the ice. Are Maple Leafs a viable contestant of the Stanley Cup right now? Maybe not, but this will be a talented team that could face the title of the Atlantic division once again next season.