by Ben Perks
The Colorado Avalanche dethroned the two-time defending champions the Tampa Bay Lightning to win the championship for the first time since 2001 on Sunday. Shortly after beating the Bolts 2-1 in Game 6, Vegas oddsmakers made the Avs +500 favorites to lift the Stanley Cup in 2023.
Is it the beginning of a dynasty for Colorado, will the Lightning exact revenge, or will another franchise lift the Lord Stanley Mug next year?
Get futures betting insights and the latest odds for the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup
2023 NHL Stanley Cup Betting Odds
| Team | Stanley Cup Odds |
|---|---|
| Avalanche | +500 |
| Maple Leafs | +900 |
| Panthers | +1000 |
| Lightning | +1000 |
| Golden Knights | +1000 |
| Hurricanes | +1100 |
| Flames | +1800 |
| Wild | +1800 |
| Penguins | +2000 |
| Oilers | +2000 |
| Rangers | +2000 |
| Blues | +2500 |
| Bruins | +3000 |
| Islanders | +3500 |
| Kings | +3500 |
| Capitals | +4500 |
| Canucks | +4500 |
| Stars | +5000 |
| Jets | +5000 |
| Predators | +6000 |
| Flyers | +7000 |
| Red Wings | +7000 |
| Devils | +7000 |
| Senators | +7500 |
| Sabres | +8000 |
| Ducks | +10000 |
| Blue Jackets | +10000 |
| Sharks | +10000 |
| Kraken | +10000 |
| Blackhawks | +10000 |
| Canadiens | +15000 |
| Coyotes | +25000 |
NHL Championship 2022-23 Info
- The 2022-23 NHL season gets underway on October 11, 2022
- NHL betting sites have the Colorado Avalanche as +500 Stanley Cup favorites
- The second favorites are the Toronto Maple Leafs (+900)
- Vegas oddsmakers have made the Arizona Coyotes the biggest opening longshots to win the NHL championship.
Exciting Times for the Avs?
After ending their 21-year wait for a title on Sunday, Vegas oddsmakers made the Avs the early frontrunners for the second year in a row. Despite a few scares against the Bolts, Colorado showed that they were the NHL’s most complete team this year.
Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic’s decision to acquire Lehkonen, defenseman Josh Manson and veteran forward Andrew Cogliano paid off. They became the perfect complement to Colorado’s solid core that lacked the edge to go all the way.
Sakic, who captained Colorado’s first two title-winning teams in 1996 and 2001, has created a skillful team that attacks with a frightening pace to overwhelm opponents. The Avalanche demonstrated how effective this approach is in the playoffs with an opening sweep of Nashville through a hard-fought, six-game series against St Louis, another sweep of Edmonton, and then a 4-2 series win against Tampa Bay.
…a skillful team that attacks with a frightening pace to overwhelm opponents.
As they will likely keep hold of stars Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Nazem Kadri, and left winger Andre Burakovsky, it isn’t easy to see another side stopping them from creating a dynasty. Nevertheless, they must sort out their goalkeeping situation.
On his day, Darcy Kuemper is a quality goaltender. However, he’s lacked consistency this season.
Jared Bednar decided enough was enough and pulled him from Game 3 of the NHL finals after conceding five goals from 22 shots. This drastic move gave an insight into how Colorado will want to recruit for next season.
Therefore, if they secure the services of a solid goaltender, Vegas oddsmakers could make their odds even shorter.
Other Top Contenders
Currently, the Toronto Maple Leafs look like the most likely to prevent the Avs from creating a new legacy.
With center Auston Matthews, who captured a second-straight Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading goal scorer this season (60 goals in 73 games), the Leafs will be formidable opponents.
Yet despite looking sharp in attack, if goaltender Jack Campbell leaves via free agency, they’ll be vulnerable at the back. For this reason, it’s wise to wait until they’ve addressed this situation before placing action on them to win their first Stanley Cup since 1967.
After the way the Florida Panthers fell to the Lightning in the playoffs , they replaced Andrew Brunette with Paul Maurice as head coach. However, as Maurice hasn’t won a Stanley Cup in his 30-year coaching career, the Panthers don’t represent good betting value at +1000.
…as Maurice hasn’t won a Stanley Cup in his 30-year coaching career, the Panthers don’t represent good betting value at +1000.
Despite failing to win three consecutive championships, the Lightning showed they are a quality side by making the finals. Considering Brayden Point was absent for large parts of this postseason run, this was no mean feat.
Because the core will be intact and players like Anthony Cirelli and Mikhail Sergachev could come into their own next season, Tampa Bay are a solid wagering option.
Recent Stanley Cup Winners
| Season | Stanley Cup Winners | Odds before Playoffs | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | Colorado Avalanche | +550 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 2020-21 | Tampa Bay Lightning | +800 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 2019-20 | Tampa Bay Lightning | +650 | Dallas Stars |
| 2018-19 | St. Louis Blues | +1250 | Boston Bruins |
| 2017-18 | Washington Capitals | +1225 | Vegas Golden Knights |
| 2016-17 | Pittsburgh Penguins | +770 | Nashville Predators |
| 2015-16 | Pittsburgh Penguins | +650 | San Jose Sharks |
| 2014-15 | Chicago Blackhawks | +800 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2013-14 | Los Angeles Kings | +1,400 | New York Rangers |
| 2012-13 | Chicago Blackhawks | +400 | Boston Bruins |
| 2011-12 | Los Angeles Kings | +2200 | New Jersey Devils |
| 2010-11 | Boston Bruins | +800 | Vancouver Canucks |
Want to learn how to remove the vig (juice), and calculate implied win probability of your NHL bets? View our odds calculator page to find out.
Ben is a sports journalist & part-time trader with a passion for finding +EV bets. Ben lives in Madrid, Spain where he enjoys the live poker scene, and sunshine where he covers UFC, MLB, NHL, NBA, as well as tennis betting.
