Are the Colorado Avalanche going to live up to their status as prohibitive favorites? Are the streaking Vegas Golden Knights the best team in the NHL? Could the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning go back-to-back after winning it all a year ago?
Could all three top favorites get beat out for this season’s Stanley Cup trophy by another elite challenger like Carolina of possibly, Toronto? Is it possible that the high-scoring Washington Capitals or Pittsburgh Penguins get past all of the aforementioned top favorites?
Let’s check out our latest NHL Stanley Cup update so you can continue planning your bets against their Stanley Cup odds.
Updated Stanley Cup Odds – Avs on Top, But Surging Vegas Looks Daunting
Odds to Win 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Championship
The Favorites
- Colorado Avalanche +380
- Vegas Golden Knights +500
- Tampa Bay Lightning +700
- Carolina Hurricanes +700
- Toronto Maple Leafs +750
Analysis: Colorado leads the NHL in scoring (3.6 GPG) and ranks fourth in goals allowed (2.4 GPG). Seven players have double figures in goals scored. Goalie Philipp Grubauer has a stupendous 2.00 goals-against-average (5th) while right winger Miko Rantanen is third in goals scored (26). Surging Vegas has won nine straight at the time of this writing and leads the NHL in wins (34). The Golden Knights rank fourth in scoring (3.4 GPG) and a stellar second in goals allowed (2.1 GPG). Seven players have reached the double-digit mark in goals scored an a whopping 11 players have double figures in assists. Vegas has not one, but two, elite goaltenders in Marc-Andre Fleury (2.09 GAA, 7th) and Robin Lehner (2.04 GAA, 6th) and the best record in the NHL at the time of this writing.
Tampa Bay ranks sixth in scoring (3.3 GPG) and eighth in goals allowed (2.6 GPG). Six players have put double figures on the board in scoring while a whopping 12 players have reached the double-digit mark in assists. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy is ninth in goals-against-average (2.15 GAA).
Central Division-leading Carolina doesn’t get the national media attention they deserve this season, but the Hurricanes rank fourth in goals allowed (2.4 GPG) and a decent, 10th in scoring (3.2 GPG). Goaltender Petr Mrazek is second in goals-against-average (1.60 GAA) while fellow net-minder Alex Nedeljkovic is fourth (1.94 GAA).
North Division-leading Toronto has two flat-out superstars in goal scoring leader Auston Matthews (34) and Mitch Marner. The Leafs can light the lamp with anyone as they rank seventh in scoring (3.3 GOG), but Toronto’s defense ranks a modest 13th in goals allowed (2.7 GPG).
The Top Contenders
Analysis: If you didn’t know before, now you do. Both, Washington and Pittsburgh are tied with Carolina and Florida for the second most wins in the league right now (32). Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals rank a stupendous second in scoring (3.4 GPG), but 19th in goals allowed (2.9 GPG). Likewise, Sidney Crosby and the Penguins rank third in scoring (3.4 GPG), but a more modest 13th in goals allowed (2.7 GPG).
It Could Happen
Analysis: The Islanders were my pick to surprise in a big way this season after making it all the way to the Eastern Conference finals a year ago. New York is in third place in the East Division and ranks a stellar third in goals allowed (2.3 GPG), but just 19th in scoring (2.7 GPG).
Florida is in second place in the Central Division standings just above the defending champs. The Panthers rank an identical 11th in scoring (3.2 GPG) and goals allowed (2.7 GPG). Boston recorded more victories than any other team in the NHL last season, but the Bruins have struggled to light the lamp this season and currently rank 16th in scoring (2.8 GPG) and seventh in goals allowed (2.5 GPG).
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