The race is officially on to this season’s NHL Stanley Cup Championship coming off January’s All-Star break. Going back to last year’s run, it was quickly proven that success in the regular season does not always carry over to the playoffs with a number of first-round upsets.
The St. Louis Blues prevailed as the ultimate champions in a thrilling seven-game series against the Boston Bruins. Each of these teams is in the thick of the race this season and near the top of the list in the NHL, futures to win this year’s title. You can also add the Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche round out the Top 5.
Betting on an individual team to win it all can provide an excellent return on investment, given the current odds. Tampa Bay, St. Louis, and Washington top the list at +800 with Boston and Colorado next at +900. You could even add the Pittsburgh Penguins (+1100) and Vegas Golden Knights (+1200) to the shortlist of legitimate contenders.
To broaden the scope of betting on the 2020 Stanley Cup Championship, there are a pair of props on the list as well. The first breaks things down between the Eastern and Western Conference, and the other offers betting odds for Canada vs. USA.
2020 Stanley Cup Champion – Winning Conference
The betting odds for this prop favors the East at -130 and even money +100 odds that a team from the West takes home the Cup this season.
Going back over the past 10 seasons, a team from the East has won the Stanley Cup four times with the West winning the other six titles. The Chicago Blackhawks and the Los Angles Kings account for five of those wins plus the Blues’ title last year. The East’s four wins go to Pittsburgh (2), Boston, and Washington.
Going ten teams deep on this season’s futures odds to win the Stanley Cup, five teams are from the East, and the other five are from the West to really balance things out.
Washington appears to be the most complete team on the list, with 36 wins in 54 games. The Capitals are just two seasons removed from their last NHL championship in 2018. When you add in Tampa Bay, Boston, Pittsburgh, and the New York Islanders, you are left with a pretty solid group of choices.
The five-team field from the West is made up of St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas, Dallas, and Vancouver. Good but not good enough to bet against the Eastern Conference in this prop.
2020 Stanley Cup Champions – Winning Country
The USA is positioned as a heavy -600 favorite for this prop with Canada listed at +400 odds. Using the same list of the 10 top teams above, it is easy to see why the US is such a heavy favorite. You can also factor in that the last time any team from Canada won the Stanley Cup was back in 1990 (Edmonton Oilers).
The Vancouver Canucks (+1800) in the wide-open Pacific Division is Canada’s best chance according to the odds. They are followed by the Atlantic Division’s Toronto Maple Leafs at +2000. There is some value in Vancouver with a clearer path to the Stanley Cup Finals out of the West. There is little value in the -600 odds. However, it would be tough the bet against the USA winning the Cup again.
