It won’t be long before NHL teams begin reporting to training camp the 2021-22 regular season begins. Any talk of a Stanley Cup champion has to begin with the two-time reigning Cup winners, Tampa Bay. The Lightning captured the Stanley Cup in each of the last two COVID-shortened seasons.
The league is back to its normal 82-game schedule and its normal four-division alignment. So, which teams have the best shot at capturing this year’s Stanley Cup? Here’s a look at the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup futures odds and predictions.
Top Contenders to Win the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup
In the world of nature, an avalanche might be more destructive than lightning. For NHL oddsmakers, the Colorado Avalanche trump the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning as favorites to win this season’s title.
The Avalanche are listed as a +475 favorite to capture their first Cup since 2001. The Avs what is likely the best scoring line in hockey. Nathan MacKinnon led Colorado with 30 goals and had 65 points last season. He’s got Mikko Rantanen, who had a team-high 66 points, and Gabriel Landeskog (52) running with him. Plus, the Avs have one of the best scoring defensemen in the NHL in Cale Makar (44).
The Lightning are listed at +650 to win it all a third straight time. They have one of the deepest lineups in hockey and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is outstanding. He went 31-10-1 in 42 games last season. Staying healthy will be a key for Tampa Bay.
The Lightning have gone stretches without players like Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov missed all of the regular season last year but returned for the playoffs and was Tampa Bay’s leading scorer with 32 points.
The only other team given less than +1000 odds to win next year’s Cup is Vegas. The Golden Knights are listed at +700. They are the best defensive team in hockey. That defense gives them the opportunity to win every night.
What Vegas will not have though is goalie Marc-Andre Fleury who was outstanding in goal for the Knights. Vegas traded Fleury to Chicago making him the first goaltender since Dominik Hasek to be traded after winning the Vezina Trophy. Not having Fleury could hurt the Knights chances of a Cup run in 2022.
Longshots to Win the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup
If you’re looking for a quality longshot pick to win this year’s Cup, just look to New York City. Both the Islanders (+1800) and the Rangers (+2500) have rosters capable of winning a championship. If you recall, it was the Islanders that took the Lightning to a deciding Game 7 in the Eastern Conference final.
The Islanders are as good as Vegas defensively, have a promising young goalie, and played last year’s postseason without their best scorer Anders Lee.
The Rangers have a ton of young talent as well as Adam Fox, the reigning Norris Trophy winner. Goalie Igor Shesterkin might be the best young goaltender in the NHL, plus the Rangers have veteran Artemi Panarin.
They play in an extremely tough division with the Capitals, Penguins, Islanders, and Hurricanes all playoff-caliber teams. At +2500 though, the Rangers might be a worth a shot.
2022 NHL Stanley Cup Predictions
Winning two Stanley Cups back-to-back is hard enough. Winning three? It hasn’t happened in a long time. In the era of the salary cap, three straight Cups seems almost impossible.
But, looking back, the last team to win three straight Stanley Cups was … the New York Islanders. Thinking of the Islanders, they play great defense which keeps them in games. They took Tampa Bay to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference final last year. Here’s to the Isles taking it a step further.
STANLEY CUP PICK: ISLANDERS +1800
NHL Player Props Betting Guide
Odds to Win 2022 Stanley Cup
Colorado Avalanche +475
Tampa Bay Lightning +650
Vegas Golden Knights +700
Toronto Maples Leafs +1000
Boston Bruins +1200
New York Islanders +1800
Florida Panthers +1800
Pittsburgh Penguins +2200
Minnesota Wild +2200
Edmonton Oilers +2200
New York Rangers +2500
Carolina Hurricanes +2500
Washington Capitals +2500
Philadelphia Flyers +3000
Dallas Stars +3500
St. Louis Blues +4000
Seattle Kraken +4500
Chicago Blackhawks +4500
Winnipeg Jets +4500
New Jersey Devils +5000
Montreal Canadiens +5000
Calgary Flames +5000
Vancouver Canucks +6000
Los Angeles Kings +7500
San Jose Sharks +10000
Nashville Predators +10000
Detroit Red Wings +15000
Ottawa Senators +20000
Buffalo Sabres +20000
Arizona Coyotes +20000
Columbus Blue Jackets +20000
Anaheim Ducks +20000
