Time is running out for those of you looking to put some money on your Stanley Cup pick this year. Sure, you could wait to see how things might play out, but that would mean seeing your potential profits decrease as the odds on your chosen team shorten when they move on. There are, as always, going to be 16 teams to choose from, and no matter what the bookies might suggest right now, every one of them has a shot at winning the Stanley Cup. Of course, some teams are a little more talented than others, but you need a little bit of luck as well as skill to win it all. With all of that in mind, let’s look at the NHL betting favorites to win, as well as a few dark horses, and then let’s finish things up by making some picks.

Updated 2017 Stanley Cup Odds, Picks, Favorites & Dark Horses

   

NHL Eastern Conference

Let’s get things started by looking at the favorites in the Eastern Conference, which is where most hockey fans believe the eventual winner is going to come from. The obvious betting choice here is the Washington Capitals, a team that has just clinched their second consecutive President’s Trophy for having the best regular season record in the NHL. Their success through 82 games has never carried over into the postseason, though, so buyer beware. The defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins look like a very solid bet to me, as they know exactly what it takes to navigate a successful playoff run. The Columbus Blue Jackets are right there with the top two teams in the league, and cannot be ignored. As far as a dark horse team goes in the East, look no further than the Montreal Canadiens. Great goaltending often carries a team far, and in Carey Price, the Canadiens have arguably the best goalie in the NHL.

NHL Western Conference

The Chicago Blackhawks have hoisted the Stanley Cup a couple of different times in the past few years, and with the best record in the Western Conference, they look primed to be one of the favorites to do it again. There is a lot of parity in the West, though, and any of the 8 teams in there could make a run. The Anaheim Ducks look like the next logical choice after the Blackhawks, as they are finishing the season strong, and are going to win the Pacific Division. There are several good dark horse options in the West, with the most likely of the bunch possibly coming out of Alberta. The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames are a pair of exciting young teams that look to be poised on the edge of greatness. This year may be too soon for either one to win it all, but you never know.

Who Will Win the Stanley Cup?

At the end of the day, I believe it will be one of the favorites that ends up hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup, as I believe that the Pittsburgh Penguins will repeat. I have them beating the Calgary Flames in 6 in the Final.