The Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is the holy grail of the National Hockey League (NHL), awarded every year to the winner of the Stanley Cup Final. It's a long and hard journey to win the Cup; it takes skill, determination, and a little bit of luck. It's the ultimate prize in pro hockey.
In 1893 the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association was the first team that hoisted Lord Stanley's Cup after winning the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada. The trophy was awarded to NHL champions in 1927, with the Ottawa Senators beating the Boston Bruins in its first appearance as a trophy for the league winner.
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The Stanley Cup's look has changed over the years. It's gone from a relatively small amateur trophy to the award for winning a league with over $6 billion in revenue.
The sizes and styles of the Stanley Cup. Credit: NYTimes the Athletic
NHL Teams that Have Won the Most Stanley Cups
Montreal Canadiens (23)
The Canadiens have been the Stanley Cup winners more than any other team, with 23. They were the most dominant in the 50s, 60s and 70s. The Canadiens won the Stanley Cup 16 times over those three decades.
The Habs haven't won since 1992-93 and haven't made the playoffs since a surprise run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020-21.
Toronto Maple Leafs (13)
The Toronto Maple Leafs have 13 Stanley Cups, but their last was in 1967, and they haven't been to the final since then.
More recently, Toronto has played great regular-season hockey, ranking fourth among all teams in points between 2017-18 and 2023-24. Toronto hasn't been able to translate that success to the playoffs.
Because of their consistent winning before the postseason, they've entered many seasons with some of the best Stanley Cup odds in the NHL, but their drought persists. Betting on their Stanley Cup futures has been a bad strategy for decades.
Detroit Red Wings (11)
The Detroit Red Wings have 11 Stanley Cups. Detroit is known as "Hockeytown," and the team won multiple Cups in the 90s and early 2000s.
Like Montreal, Detroit hasn't been near the top of the NHL lately. The Original Six team hasn't seen playoff hockey since 2015-16. The Red Wings last appeared in the Stanley Cup Final 2008 09.
Teams with 5-6 Stanley Cup wins
Boston Bruins (6)
The Boston Bruins have six Stanley Cups, and their last was in 2010-2011.
Boston has been the most consistent team in the NHL's recent era, with only two seasons missing the playoffs since 2006-07. The Bruins have had some of the best Stanley Cup odds on the NHL futures boards because of their stability and constant playoff presence.
Chicago Blackhawks (6)
The Chicago Blackhawks have six Stanley Cups, three of them in the 2010s.
Chicago couldn't keep the magic going in the 2020s, but there's a lot of hope around the team with the acquisition of generational prospect Connor Bedard in the 2023 Draft.
Edmonton Oilers (5)
The Edmonton Oilers were the dominant team in the 80s, winning five Stanley Cups. Led by legends like Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Paul Coffey
Edmonton is now led by Connor McDavid, who is widely considered the best player in the NHL. McDavid has accumulated a shelf full of NHL Awards since he debuted in 2015, but a championship has been elusive.
The Oilers last appeared in the Stanley Cup Final in 2023-24 when they lost to the Florida Panthers in seven games.
Pittsburgh Penguins (5)
The Pittsburgh Penguins have won five Stanley Cups. Their last two were in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Pittsburgh has been lucky to have found superstars in the last 30 years, with elite players like Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin. As Crosby and Malkin's careers wind down, it will be tough for the Penguins to find the success they had in the 2010s.
Teams without a Stanley Cup Win
There are many historic franchises with multiple championships, but a few modern teams are still waiting for their first Stanley Cup win:
Team | Playoff Appearances |
|---|---|
| Vancouver Canucks | 29 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 29 |
| San Jose Sharks | 21 |
Utah Hockey Club/Arizona Coyotes | 20 |
Ottawa Senators (modern edition) | 16 |
Nashville Predators | 16 |
Minnesota Wild | 13 |
Winnipeg Jets | 8 |
Columbus Blue Jackets | 6 |
Seattle Kraken | 1 |
Stanley Cup Finals: Matchups and Results
The championship series is a best-of-seven between the East and West conference winners. The first team to win four, the Cup.
Here are the last 10 teams to Win the Stanley Cup who they defeated in the Stanley Cup Finals:
- 2023-24: Florida Panthers beat Edmonton Oilers
- 2022-23: Vegas Golden Knights beat Florida Panthers
- 2021-22: Colorado Avalanche beat Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2020-21: Tampa Bay Lightning beat Montreal Canadiens
- 2019-20: Tampa Bay Lightning beat Dallas Stars
- 2018-19: St. Louis Blues beat Boston Bruins
- 2017-18: Washington Capitals beat Vegas Golden Knights
- 2016-17: Pittsburgh Penguins beat Nashville Predators
- 2015-16: Pittsburgh Penguins beat San Jose Sharks
- 2014-15: Chicago Blackhawks beat Tampa Bay Lightning
NHL Playoffs Format and Schedule
The NHL Playoffs have 16 teams, eight from each conference.
Each of the NHL's four eight-team divisions sends three teams to the playoffs. The two best teams from each conference that don't make the top three also get in as wild cards.
All playoff series are best-of-seven. Teams play in the first round, second round, conference finals, and then the Stanley Cup Final.
While the NHL playoff schedule varies slightly from season to season, the playoffs typically begin in mid-to-late April.
Betting on the Stanley Cup
It's possible to bet on who will win the Stanley Cup before the NHL regular season opens while it's underway or during the playoffs. Unless you are betting on a single game that is guaranteed to determine the outcome of the championship (which can only be Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final), this is classified as a futures bet.
Winning a wager on who will win hockey's greatest prize is difficult, as the NHL postseason can be unpredictable. In the eight seasons from 2016-17 to 2023-24, seven different teams won a title, with only the Tampa Bay Lightning earning two titles.
If you want to bet on who will win the NHL championship, go in aware that you are engaging in a high-risk, high-reward bet.
Markets for wagers on the Stanley Cup winner are found in the NHL sections of major sportsbooks, normally under the 'futures' section.
Stanley Cup Odds and Futures
Team performance, individual player stats, and other factors all come into play in determining the Stanley Cup winner — as well as unforeseeable variables like pure luck and impactful calls made by referees.
With so many variables in play, Stanley Cup odds change constantly throughout the season and during the playoffs.
If you want to bet on who will win the Stanley Cup final, check the NHL odds board at sportsbooks like BetRivers and BetMGM.
Statistical models rarely give any team more than a 25% chance of winning until deep in the playoffs. The Athletic has a publicly available model you can follow to get a sense of each team's likelihood of winning the championship.
Before the 2024-25 started, the Florida Panthers were the betting favorites to win their second consecutive Stanley Cup. Other teams with the shortest odds included the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, and Colorado Avalanche. The Oilers, Stars, and Hurricanes all won at least two playoff rounds in 2023-24, and the Avalanche were champions as recently as 2021-22.
Edmonton was a particularly common championship pick in media circles. At Sportsnet —the NHL's leading broadcaster in Canada—16 of 20 experts picked Edmonton to win it all.
Most Reviewed Sportsbooks for Stanley Cup Betting
- Availability across most of US legal states
- Competitive odds & diverse markets
- Attentive customer service
- Extensive list of Same Game Parlay's
- App speeds vary for some users
- Geo locate sometimes unreliable
- Extensive betting markets
- Live betting
- Efficient & secure payments
- Strong security measures
- Mobile app connectivity issues
- Maximum bets on odds boosts are low.
- Promotional restrictions
- Available in many U.S. States and Canada
- Numerous betting markets
- Major partnerships with teams/leagues
- Promotions are timely and change rapidly
- Connectivity issues on betting app
- Extensive Market Reach.
- Unmatched Fan Engagement.
- Live betting.
- Digital media bohemeth.
- Limited live streaming.
- Connectivity issues on betting apps.
FAQ
Understanding Stanley Cup Betting Odds
What are Stanley Cup betting odds?
Stanley Cup odds reflect the likelihood of certain teams winning the Stanley Cup. They change frequently based on game performance, player injuries, and trades, and many sportsbooks offer live wager options for hockey bettors. Always remember to make responsible wagers on all NHL bets to help prevent a gambling problem.
How do American Stanley Cup odds work in hockey betting?
American odds show potential money payouts relative to a $100 bet. Positive odds indicate how much you'd win on a $100 wager, while negative odds indicate how much you need to bet to win $100.
Do the Odds Change for NHL Team Futures Bets?
In short, yes. The odds will fluctuate in the offseason, preseason, regular season, and playoffs. They are determined by various metrics, such as new player acquisitions and trades, experience, playoff success, wins and losses, and more. A preseason bet on the Carolina Hurricanes to win the Stanley Cup may be +1,000, while midway through the year, it might be +500 if the team performs well.
Strategies for Bettors
How can I find the best value for Stanley Cup futures?
Look for the best price across sportsbooks, as odds for certain teams can vary and could impact the money you could win. Monitoring shifts in the odds can help identify opportunities for bets with higher potential returns.
What is live betting, and is it useful during the Stanley Cup?
Live betting during the Stanley Cup enables bets on the Championship as it unfolds, offering bettors the chance to adjust their bets based on the game's progression and capitalize on changing dynamics.
Teams and Trends
Which teams currently have the best betting odds to win the Stanley Cup?
As of early December 2024, the teams with the best odds to win the Stanley Cup, including the Edmonton Oilers (Pacific Division), Florida Panthers (Atlantic Division), New York Rangers, and New Jersey Devils (Metropolitan Division), are favored, offering bettors diverse choices depending on their strategy.
Who was the last team to win the Stanley Cup?
The Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup in the 2023/24 season.
Which Team has the Most Back-to-back wins?
The Montreal Canadiens have a record five Stanley Cup wins in a row, winning championships in every season from 1955-56 to 1959-60.
What is the Presidents' Trophy?
The Presidents' Trophy is a prestigious NHL award given to the team that earns the most points during the regular season, reflecting the league's top overall performance. If two teams end the season with the same point total, the trophy is awarded to the team with more regulation wins (RW).
Betting on the Stanley Cup
What can I expect from an online sportsbook for the Stanley Cup?
Many online sportsbooks have promotional offers for it. These include bonus bets and other bonuses and services available for all sports. There are other services like odds boosts that may become available closer to the Finals.
Where do I find Stanley Cup Odds?
All hockey Sportsbooks have Stanley Cup Odds. Once you've logged into the sportsbook you signed up with, navigate to the "NHL" or "Hockey" category. Once there, look for "NHL futures" or "Stanley Cup Winners." There will be an odds board that appears with all NHL teams when you get there.
References
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Paruyr Shahbazyan started his business career as an entrepreneur in 2000. Over 13 years, he learned business and leadership, which laid the foundation for his career.
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