2025 NHL Futures Bets: Next Season’s Odds
Panthers Atop the NHL Odds Board Favored; Oilers, Stars Follow
It has only been a few hours since the Stanley Cup was awarded, but the Florida Panthers are considered the most likely team to win it next season: 2024-25.
The Panthers, who capped their first championship season with a stirring seven-game series win over the Edmonton Oilers, are prohibitive favorites to win again at +900 odds per the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Florida’s in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, were the most recent repeat champs when they did so in 2020-21. A Florida-based team has represented the Eastern Conference in five straight Stanley Cup Final series.
But 31 teams will be hunting down the Panthers.
Here’s a way-too-early look at the 2025 NHL Futures Bets for Stanley Cup.
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The Panthers have the shortest NHL odds. But they could lose standout forward Sam Reinhart in free agency, which could be problematic after he scored 57 regular-season goals and 10 more in the playoffs.
The Edmonton Oilers, who reached the final game of the NHL season and nearly claimed their first Stanley Cup since 1990 share the second-shortest odds with the Dallas Stars at +1000. Led by Conn Smythe Trophy winner Connor McDavid, Edmonton won the Western Conference by defeating Dallas in six games.
The Colorado Avalanche, the 2022 Cup winner, and perennial contenders the Carolina Hurricanes have the next-shortest odds at +1200. Colorado and Carolina each were bounced in the second round.
The New Jersey Devils and Eastern Conference runner-up New York Rangers are next at +1300. New Jersey missed the playoffs but already upgraded in the offseason by acquiring goalie Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames.
The 2023 champion Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs follow at +1600. Toronto should finish ahead in many NHL scores with new coach Craig Berube.
The Vancouver Canucks round out the top 10 at +2000.
Intriguing Dark Horses
It’s now been three years since the Lightning played for the Stanley Cup, and captain Steven Stamkos is due a new contract. Thus, they have +2500 Stanley Cup odds at DraftKings.
But the salary cap is finally going up after the post-COVID financial slump has finally ended. Tampa Bay GM Julien BriseBois will have some funds to get creative and upgrade the club’s core, which still includes Hart Trophy finalist Nikita Kucherov, stalwart defenseman Victor Hedman, and star goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.
The Boston Bruins also will benefit from the rising salary cap. They already created additional space by dealing 2023 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark to Ottawa. Boston finished just one point behind Florida in the Atlantic Division yet have far inferior odds at +2000 at DraftKings.
The West is loaded with favorites, but the Nashville Predators have all the requisite pieces of a Stanley Cup contender, as long as goalie Juuse Saros can shake off his playoff struggles. Andrew Brunette proved his 2022 Jack Adams finalist year wasn’t a fluke, and Nashville is an intriguing Cup option at +3500.
Compelling Longshots
The Arizona Coyotes were making headway by building a young, competitive core. But they are now in Utah, where they are more likely to attract free agents with an NHL-caliber arena but aren’t likely to compete this year proven by their +7500 odds at DraftKings.
The Pittsburgh Penguins made the playoffs in Sidney Crosby’s second season, and the Oilers reached the postseason in McDavid’s third.
But oddsmakers have little faith in Connor Bedard to advance to the playoffs in his second year in Chicago since the Blackhawks are tied for second-longest Cup odds at +15000.
Still, Bedard’s team is more likely to compete than likely No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini’s San Jose Sharks. Celebrini may be the budding face of hockey in the Bay Area, but San Jose has the longest odds of any 2025 NHL futures bet at +30000.
The way-too-early pick
The Panthers have reached the top of the mountain in consecutive years, losing to Vegas in the Cup Final in 2023 before finally winning it all.
So it’s only fitting that they’ll regress in 2025.
Look for the Colorado Avalanche to defeat the New Jersey Devils in the Cup Final as a top option for those making NHL picks and parlays.
For NHL betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
