NHL Futures

Futures odds are generally set far in advance of their outcome, and the payouts can be much higher than day-to-day bets. Odds on futures bets can fluctuate for many reasons, including injuries, trades, suspensions, coach firings, and other developments throughout the season.

Not long after a Stanley Cup champion is crowned, Stanley Cup betting odds for the next champion go up at most sportsbooks. The current Cup winner often opens as an early favorite for the following season. As the summer progresses — through trades and free agency — odds shift considerably. A team that lands a marquee free agent will almost immediately see their Cup odds shorten.

A few weeks into the season, odds begin moving based on standings. The team flying out of the gate will see their odds narrow quickly. A great modern example: the Colorado Avalanche opened this season at +900 to win the Cup, but after going 34-5-9 through their first 48 games — the best start in the NHL — sportsbooks slashed their odds to around +260, making them the clear favorite. Those bettors who got in early at +900 are sitting on exceptional value.

2026 Stanley Cup Favorites (as of late March 2026)

The Colorado Avalanche are the overwhelming favorites to win the 2026 Stanley Cup. They lead the NHL with 95 points and the league's best goal differential (+82). Their case grew even stronger at the trade deadline when they reunited with Nazem Kadri, giving them one of the deepest center corps in hockey: Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, Kadri, and Nicolas Roy.

Odds are illustrative and subject to change. Always check live NHL odds for the latest lines.

Key storylines shaping the 2026 Stanley Cup odds:

• Colorado Avalanche clinched the first playoff berth of the 2025-26 season and lead the Western Conference. The trade deadline acquisition of Kadri addresses their power play (dead last at 15.5%) and adds championship experience.
• Tampa Bay Lightning sit second in the odds after a steady climb from +1,200 in the preseason. Nikita Kucherov is on pace for 146 points and Andrei Vasilevskiy has been elite in net.
• Carolina Hurricanes lead the Metropolitan Division with a 40-16-6 record and went 8-1-1 in their final 10 games heading into the trade deadline.
• Buffalo Sabres are one of the great stories of the season, going 33-6-5 since December 9 — the best stretch in the NHL over that span — and are battling for the Atlantic Division lead after 14 consecutive years out of the playoffs.
• Florida Panthers, the defending two-time Stanley Cup champions, have fallen completely out of the playoff picture at just 31-29-3 (65 points), with their odds collapsing from +1,200 to as long as +15,000.
• Toronto Maple Leafs are in full teardown mode, selling assets at the deadline with their odds now as long as +50,000.

2026 NHL Playoff Picture (as of March 26, 2026)

The NHL regular season ends April 16, with the Stanley Cup Playoffs expected to begin April 18. Sixteen teams qualify — the top three from each of the four divisions, plus two wild-card teams per conference.

Eastern Conference (Projected)

Atlantic Division

• 1. Buffalo Sabres (leaders)
  2. Tampa Bay Lightning
  3. Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

• 1. Carolina Hurricanes
  2. Columbus Blue Jackets
  3. Pittsburgh Penguins / NY Islanders (race ongoing)

Wild Cards (East)

• WC1: Boston Bruins
• WC2: Ottawa Senators (battling Islanders, Red Wings, Flyers)

Projected First-Round Matchups (East)

Western Conference (Projected)

Central Division

• 1. Colorado Avalanche (clinched)
  2. Dallas Stars (clinched)
  3. Minnesota Wild

Pacific Division

• 1. Anaheim Ducks (race ongoing vs. Oilers/Golden Knights)
  2. Edmonton Oilers
  3. Vegas Golden Knights

Wild Cards (West)

• WC1: Utah Mammoth
• WC2: Nashville Predators

Projected First-Round Matchups (West)

Standings are fluid with three weeks remaining. Check NHL Odds and NHL Picks daily for the latest updates.

Odds of Making the NHL Playoffs

While not offered at every sportsbook, odds on teams to make the playoffs have grown in popularity. This market allows bettors to wager on playoff qualification as the season unfolds — particularly valuable in tightly contested wild-card races like the 2025-26 Eastern Conference bubble, where Ottawa, the Islanders, Red Wings, and Flyers are all separated by just a handful of points with three weeks to play.

Betting a team to make the playoffs early in the season — before they've proven themselves — can yield significant value compared to waiting until the odds tighten down the stretch.

NHL All-Star Game Betting Odds

The NHL All-Star Game is no longer a straightforward moneyline event for bettors. Today there is much more variety.

At sportsbooks listed on Bookies.com, prop bets are available (first player to score, player with the most goals, MVP, etc.). Since the NHL moved to a round-robin three-on-three tournament format in 2016, there are now three 20-minute games to bet on rather than just one.

How the format works: All four league divisions are represented. The two divisions from each conference play in separate 20-minute, three-on-three games. The winners of those two games then play for the championship in another 20-minute game. If any game is tied after regulation, a best-of-three shootout determines the winner, with additional rounds until a winner is crowned.

Many sportsbooks offer odds on the All-Star MVP winner — an award that has traditionally gone to the player who scores the most goals.

Bookies has thorough reviews of the top sportsbooks in Canada and the United States that offer futures bets.

How to Bet NHL Futures

NHL championship futures are posted with odds relative to a $100 wager. For example:

Stanley Cup – Winner (Illustrative)

• Colorado Avalanche +260
• Tampa Bay Lightning +410
• Carolina Hurricanes +550
• Dallas Stars +950

At +260, a $100 bet on the Avalanche would net $260 in profit if they win. At +950, a $100 bet on the Stars would return $950. The higher the odds, the bigger the payout — and the lower the implied probability of winning.

Use the Bookies.com odds calculator to instantly convert any odds format and see exact potential payouts before you place your bet.

Betting Trends to Know for NHL Futures

Before placing a Stanley Cup futures wager, consider these historical patterns:

• Repeat winners are real. Since 2010, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning each defended their Cup title once. Florida just completed back-to-back championships in 2024 and 2025. Three straight remains extremely rare — no team has done it since the Islanders in the early 1980s.
• Top teams at the start tend to finish on top. Since 2010, only five Cup winners entered the season with odds longer than +1,000.
• The East has dominated recently. In the last 10 seasons, Eastern Conference teams have won seven Stanley Cups.
• The Presidents' Trophy winner rarely wins the Cup. The best record in the regular season has translated to a championship just eight times in 35 years of the award — worth keeping in mind when betting the Avalanche.
• Trade deadline moves matter. Colorado's acquisition of Nazem Kadri caused an immediate odds shift. Monitoring deadline moves is one of the best times to find futures value.

Why Bet NHL Futures with Bookies

Bookies.com is a one-stop shop for all betting markets, including NHL futures and the 2026 Stanley Cup. Our tools help you make fast, informed decisions:

Parlay Calculator: Stack multiple playoff futures into a single parlay and instantly calculate the combined payout.

Odds Calculator: Quickly convert American, decimal, or fractional odds and see exact profit potential for any futures bet.

Expert NHL Picks: Our team of handicappers covers every angle of the NHL playoffs, from individual game picks to full Stanley Cup predictions and futures value plays.

NHL Odds: Live, up-to-date lines across all top sportsbooks — compare prices and find the best number before locking in any bet.

Top Sportsbooks: Be sure to shop around at top online sportsbooks for the best prices. Futures odds vary significantly from book to book. Finding the Avalanche at +260 on one site versus +240 on another can mean a $20 difference in profit on every $100 wagered — small edge, big difference over time.