The Florida Panthers begin their Stanley Cup defense Tuesday night at home against the Chicago Blackhawks. But several teams now pose serious threats to Florida’s championship hopes.
Aleksander Barkov’s knee injury has completely changed the championship landscape. The Panthers captain suffered the injury in practice last week and will miss seven-to-nine months.
That timeline means Barkov could only return for the second round of the playoffs at the earliest.
The injury created three new co-favorites: Carolina, Colorado, and Edmonton all sit atop the odds board.
Stanley Cup Contenders
The Hurricanes are coming off their third Eastern Conference Final appearance in seven years under Rod Brind’Amour. This might be their best roster yet after signing free agent Nikolaj Ehlers and trading for defenseman K’Andre Miller.
Carolina still has cap space and trade assets for a potential deadline move.
The Avalanche may have their most complete roster since winning the 2022 Stanley Cup. They re-signed trade deadline pickup Brock Nelson and added Victor Olofsson and 40-year-old Brent Burns on low-cost deals.
Burns could excel in a third-pairing role on Colorado’s deep blue line.
The Oilers will aim for a third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. This could be Connor McDavid’s final year in Edmonton before free agency.
Edmonton will be younger this season. Reigning Hobey Baker winner Isaac Howard and 2022 ninth overall pick Matt Savoie are projected to make the team.
Edmonton offers Canada’s best hope for the country’s first Stanley Cup since 1993. Toronto has the ninth-shortest odds while Winnipeg sits 11th.
Canada is +275 to produce the Stanley Cup winner. The U.S. is favored at -400.
Best Season-Long Prop Bets
Connor McDavid Over 38.5 goals (-125)
McDavid hasn’t reached this total since his 64-goal campaign in 2022-23. But he’s committed to shooting more this season.
“I want to prove that scoring 50 or 60 is not a one-off. I’ve had 50 goals and I’ve had 100 assists, and I like the goals a little bit more.”
When the game’s best player targets a specific improvement, it’s smart to trust him. If McDavid commits to being more selfish with the puck, he should easily surpass 38.5 goals.
Brady Tkachuk Over 66.5 points (-125)
Tkachuk managed just 55 points while missing 10 games due to injury last season. But in the three previous seasons, he tallied 74, 83, and 67 points.
The 26-year-old is in his prime. With continued development from 23-year-old linemate Tim Stutzle and better shooting luck, he should surpass this total.
Tkachuk’s 9.8% shooting percentage last season was his lowest since 2020-21.
Montreal Canadiens Over 90.5 points (-120)
The Canadiens surprised everyone with 91 points and a playoff appearance last season. Montreal appears built to sustain that success.
The Habs improved their blue line by acquiring Noah Dobson. The 25-year-old defenseman finished eighth in Norris Trophy voting two seasons ago.
They’ll also get a boost from 2024 fifth overall pick Ivan Demidov. The skilled winger enters as the Calder Trophy favorite at +165.
Anaheim Ducks To make playoffs (+300)
This is a long shot, but the Ducks are trending upward. They improved from 59 points in 2023-24 to 80 points last season.
Anaheim added veterans Chris Kreider and Mikael Granlund to support their young core. Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Cutter Gauthier, and Jackson LaCombe form a promising foundation.
Most importantly, they hired Joel Quenneville as head coach. Quenneville has a strong track record of immediate turnarounds in his first seasons.
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