NHL Futures Bets: Who Are the Best Teams to Bet to Win Stanley Cup in 2024-25 Season?
This market has always attracted bettors who think they're being clever by taking the next No. 8 seed to go on a Cinderella run and win it all.
It's not an awful strategy per se, but it's not a great one either. I am not here to talk down to anyone's betting strategy -- to each valiant gambler their own. But let me offer a different conclusion on what to consider to be "value."
Odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook.
We already touched on this sentiment in the article about division winners, but it's worthwhile to expand on the train of thought as this market while more difficult does offer inherently more value for us.
We're all free to evaluate these markets as we see fit, but personally I have never been one to subscribe to the thought that odds beyond the +2000 mark can really give us value, especially in other leagues like the NFL and NBA.
One example of a trendy team which we see a ton of handle on this season in the NFL is the Atlanta Falcons. They currently sit at +2500 to win outright which is a dramatically market corrected price from what it was prior to the Kirk Cousins signing.
This dude has shown us time and time again he cannot deliver in the big spots regardless of the talent around him and yet many handicappers are billing this team and price as a good value bet. I am not convinced...
The Nashville Predators are the big risers in the NHL for the same reasons, as they've struck gold on the free agent market landing the biggest fish available. Their current price to win outright is +1700 which in the eyes of many is a great value bet.
If you draw that conclusion, I would do so with caution, as they are still power ranked as the sixth best team in the Western Conference according to central scouting, and this is reflected in the odds.
Herein lies the question, what is actual value?
My approach is that these two (admittedly cherry picked) examples that are being hailed as your good value bets this season in their respective leagues are really not good value at all.
I cannot envision a world where Kirk Cousins in his advanced age is going on a run through the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers on his way to a Super Bowl victory nor can I see Steven Stamkos and the aging Predators running through the gauntlet in the West against the likes of the Edmonton Oilers, Las Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche and/or Dallas Stars.
As we sit here in early July with the draft and free agency behind us, the odds have fluctuated a tad, but not a ton, and I do believe that there is actual value on some of these squads including some of the chalk favorites.
Edmonton Oilers +800
+800 for this team to win it all, as the favorite, and as the most publicly bet team the last three seasons is damn good.
It's even better when you look at the forward group that they've assembled in the last four days. Connor McDavid is a man possessed, and the added motivation of coming up just one win shy of his ultimate goal will no doubt add rocket fuel to his already burning desire to get the job done.
And while I typically don't subscribe to the fanatical one-man-can-do-it-all tropes, if there is one guy in the NHL who can impact his team in such a way, it's him.
New York Rangers +1300
This New York Rangers have made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in two of the last three seasons. They are very clearly "right there" as they say and have all of the pieces in place. It's a matter of nibbling around the edges to fortify what is absolutely a contender, and then having the killer instinct when it counts to put away teams like Florida and Boston who have historically outshined them.
I do think the Panthers are likely to have a down year, for their standards anyway. They've gone to the final two seasons in a row and have had a plethora of injuries to key players in those two seasons.
They aren't going anywhere in terms of playoffs, but my sense is they will run out of gas and therefore making the Rangers path slightly easier in the event they both make it the East Final.
Las Vegas Golden Knights +1600
According to PuckPedia, this team is currently 3.6 million dollars above the cap, so a shoe still needs to drop prior to opening night in order to become compliant, and it's unclear what that might be.
With that said, the Golden Knights are still very much in their prime with one of the most complete rosters in the game even with the departures of Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson.
Their path is considerably more difficult as the Oilers and Canucks continue to improve, but at this price I am still willing to view this as great value.
Boston Bruins +1800
Boston still has some question marks surrounding its roster, most notably being secondary scoring.
It's not a massive problem, but nevertheless, it needs improved. A name like Daniel Sprong is still out there, and I wonder if Don Sweeney kicks the tires with his agent to address some middle six offensive production.
But what the Bruins can do unbelievably well is defend and stop pucks. Now Jeremy Swayman remains unsigned but it's highly unlikely that a deal doesn't get done.
Moreover, this team's added Elias Lindholm to play top line center, and Nikita Zadorov to play second pairing LHD and in doing so add even more defensive prowess.
I do think Zadorov is an overpay based on recency bias, but I still love the player and he will fit in perfectly in Boston. This price seems like an edgy line considering they will have to (likely) go through Toronto and a Florida team that I predict will be ailed by the Stanley Cup hangover.
A value bet to me should provide you with a legitimate chance to win and taking those long shots with tough paths based on a free agent signing or what have you, is just not the sharpest gambling in my humble opinion.
And just because a team is the favorite or a favorite, doesn't automatically disqualify them from presenting value. These four teams stood out to me as great bets heading into the doldrums of summer.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.