Updated 2018 Stanley Cup Betting Odds – January 4th Edition

Sure, major parts of the U.S. may be experiencing record cold, but the 2017-18 NHL regular season is starting to heat up in a big way as the annual all-star break quickly approaches. With that said, now is a perfect time to take an in-depth look at the latest future Stanley Cup betting odds. From the top title favorites to middle-of-the-pack playoff hopefuls and those longshot teams at the bottom of the odds list, let’s get the scoop on what’s going down across the league as we move further into the new year!

Updated 2018 Stanley Cup Betting Odds – January 4th Edition

NHL power rankings for Week 12: https://t.co/GVFlw8dLlu pic.twitter.com/0ked0O4s3I

— Sporting News (@sportingnews) 4 de enero de 2018

The Favorites

Tampa Bay (29-8-1)

• Stanley Cup Betting Odds: 6/1

The Lightning has been the best team in hockey since the start of the season and they look like they’re going to be very difficult for anyone to beat with an offense that is the best in the NHL (3.7 gpg) and a defense that ranks second in goals allowed (2.4 gpg). Right-winger Nikita Kucherov (25 goals, 31 assists) and center Steven Stamkos (49 points) are both playing out of their minds right now, and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy is shutting the door on everyone with a stupendous 1.95 GAA.

Boston (22-10-4)

• Stanley Cup Betting Odds: 12/1

The Bruins are another legitimate title contenders as they rank seventh in scoring (3.1 gpg) and a stellar third in goals allowed (2.4 gpg) as goalie Tuukka Rask (2.09 GAA) is making phenomenal stops looks almost routine this season.

Las Vegas (27-9-2)

• Stanley Cup Betting Odds: 12/1

I can’t lie. The expansion Knights are my favorite team in all of hockey this season and for good reason. They’ve taken a bunch of young players and cast-offs that several teams foolishly exposed to the expansion draft (Marc-Andre Fleury) and turned themselves into a formidable team that ranks second in scoring (3.5 gpg) and 10th in goals allowed (2.7 gpg). Oh, did I mention Fleury has a jaw-dropping 1.77 GAA right now?

Washington (25-13-2)

• Stanley Cup Betting Odds: 12/1

So what Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals have let me down two straight seasons in a row after I (and everyone else) had some serious hopes they could reach and win the Stanley Cup, only to see them dashed by Pittsburgh. Washington is really balanced right now as they rank 11th in scoring (3.0 gpg) and 15th in goals allowed (28 gpg). And just so you know, the ageless Ovechkin has an impressive 26 goals and 17 assists in 41 games and will probably still be able to light the lamp long after he’s been an AARP member.

More Top Contenders

• Los Angeles Kings: 14/1
• Nashville Predators: 14/1
• New Jersey Devils: 14/1
• New York Rangers: 16/1
• Toronto Maple Leafs: 16/1
• Winnipeg Jets: 16/1

Los Angeles (24-11-5) and Nashville (23-11-1), are looking really good to me out of the next group of top title contenders with the Kings ranking a stupendous first in defense (2.3 gpg) and respectable 13th in scoring (3.0 gpg). Goalie Jonathan Quick is playing fantastic l(2.20 GAA) like he did a few years back when the Kings won two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014 and backup Darcy Kuemper is playing just as well if not better (2.11 GAA). The defending Western Conference champion Predators are looking like a serious contender as well as they rank eighth in scoring (3.1 gpg) and an even more impressive sixth in goals allowed (2.6 gpg). Left winger Filip Forsberg and P.K. Subban are leading a group of nine Nashville players with at least 20 points and five that have double-digit goals totals.

Just A Cut Below

• Chicago Blackhawks: 20/1
• Columbus Blue Jackets: 20/1
• Dallas Stars: 20/1
• New York Islanders: 20/1
• Pittsburgh Penguins: 20/1
• San Jose Sharks: 20/1
• St. Louis Blues: 20/1

St. Louis (25-15-2), San Jose (21-12-3) and Columbus (23-15-2) are my favorite ‘cut below elite’ teams right now. While the Blues are ranked a modest, but respectable 16th in scoring (2.8 gpg), they’ve also ranked an outstanding fourth in goals allowed (2.5 gpg). With a little more offense, the Blues could get right back in the mix of top title contenders. San Jose is another team that just needs to improve offensively seeing as how the Sharks are ranked 25th in scoring (2.7 gpg), but a stellar fifth in goals allowed (2.5 gpg). In keeping with the, ‘they need to improve their offense’ theme, Columbus ranks 24th in scoring (2.7 gpg), but eighth in goals allowed (2.7 gpg).

Longshots

• Anaheim Ducks: 28/1
• Carolina Hurricanes: 33/1
• Edmonton Oilers: 33/1
• Minnesota Wild: 33/1
• Calgary Flames: 40/1
• Colorado Avalanche: 50/1
• Montreal Canadiens: 50/1
• Philadelphia Flyers: 50/1
• Florida Panthers: 66/1
• Detroit Red Wings: 100/1
• Vancouver Canucks: 100/1
• Ottawa Senators: 125/1
• Buffalo Sabres: 500/1
• Arizona Coyotes: 1000/1

I don’t know the hell is wrong with Philadelphia (16-15-5) and even more so, Edmonton (17-20-2), but both teams possess a bunch of young talent and need to get their respective acts together in a hurry. The Oilers make a deep playoff run last season and have arguably the best young player in hockey in center Connor McDavid (45 points) while Philadelphia also has a boatload of talented players starting with Claude Giroux (46 points). If I had to pick a longshot to make a big run after the start of the new year, I guess it would be the Oilers, but their last of defense (3.3 gpg, 23rd) is bothersome, to say the least!