The first day of the NHL Free Agency period is in the books. While the New York Islanders and San Jose Sharks are among the disappointed teams after missing out on their top targets, the Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues are considered the big winners after making the biggest moves. In fact, the Maple Leafs ability to sign free agent John Tavares led to the oddsmakers at BetDSI Sportsbook to list them as the Stanley Cup favorites for the upcoming season. Here is a look at the updated betting odds for some of the top contenders to win the Stanley Cup in 2018-19.
The biggest shift in the sports betting odds was at the very top where Toronto was made the Stanley Cup favorites by some sites at +700 odds. The Maple Leafs lost James Van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov but all of that was negated and more when they landed Tavares. The 27-year-old is coming off another season in which he averaged better than a point per game and he is still in the prime of his career. Tavares grew up in the Toronto area and was a Maple Leafs fan growing up. With he and Auston Matthews locked in down the middle it’s clear that Toronto has one of the best 1-2 punches in the league. The question now is whether or not they have enough firepower on the wings and enough depth on defense to contend with the big boys in the Eastern Conference. There is no doubt that Tavares makes the Maple Leafs better. That said, this team still has some significant holes and the value isn’t great betting on Toronto to win it all this coming season at +700 odds.
The biggest obstacle standing in the Maple Leafs way is the fact that there are so many top contenders that are just as deep or more in the Eastern Conference. The Washington Capitals are the defending Stanley Cup champions and didn’t lose any core players. The Pittsburgh Penguins won back-to-back titles the previous two seasons and still have their core intact. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning made it to the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago and could be even better this upcoming season with several young pieces coming in to their own. Tampa Bay is +1000 to win the Stanley Cup while Washington is listed at +1200 and Pittsburgh is +1200 to win it all. Despite failing to make substantial splashes in free agency, each of those teams is capable of contending for a Cup at better odds than Toronto.
Meanwhile, the Blues were the big winners in the Western Conference with the addition of Tyler Bozak as a free agent and a trade to land Ryan O’Reilly. One of the biggest issues for St. Louis a year ago was the team’s lack of depth down the middle at the center position. That was addressed with the acquisition of a 1B center in O’Reilly and a No. 3 center in Bozak to help take some of the pressure off of Brayden Schenn. The Blues are coming off a down year but with the moves they made on Sunday and the addition of some young prospects that are poised to take steps forward this upcoming year, St. Louis could be an under-the-radar Cup Contender in 2018-19. The Blues are listed at +3300 to win it all. That is an excellent price if you think the moves they made are enough to put them over the top.
If you are looking for some other potential value picks in terms of Stanley Cup futures, there are some intriguing options in the Western Conference. The Los Angeles Kings added Ilya Kovalchuk and re-signed Drew Doughty to a long-term contract. The additional firepower up front should help the Kings take another step. Los Angeles is still listed at +3300 odds to win it all. That is pretty good value for a team that is loaded with elite talent. Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames are another team that could be in the mix as a sleeper pick to contend at +3300 odds. The Flames traded Dougie Hamilton, Michael Ferland and a prospect for Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin, who will step right in to their lineup as key pieces this season. Calgary just missed out on a playoff spot last year after making it the previous season. Will these changes help put them over the top this upcoming season? At long odds, the Kings and Flames are two interesting sleeper picks to consider as Stanley Cup contenders.
Odds To Win 2018-19 Stanley Cup
Toronto Maple Leafs +700
Nashville Predators +900
Tampa Bay Lightning +1000
Winnipeg Jets +1000
Boston Bruins +1200
Pittsburgh Penguins +1200
Vegas Golden Knights +1200
Washington Capitals +1200
Anaheim Ducks +2000
Columbus Blue Jackets +2000
Los Angeles Kings +2000
San Jose Sharks +2000
Chicago Blackhawks +2500
Edmonton Oilers +2500
St. Louis Blues +2500
Dallas Stars +2800
Calgary Flames +3300
Colorado Avalanche +3300
Minnesota Wild +3300
Philadelphia Flyers +3300
New Jersey Devils +4000
Carolina Hurricanes +5000
Florida Panthers +5000
Montreal Canadiens +5000
New York Rangers +5000
Arizona Coyotes +6600
Buffalo Sabres +6600
New York Islanders +7500
Ottawa Senators +7500
Vancouver Canucks +7500
Detroit Red Wings +10000
