Roughly two weeks have passed since the draft, making this a perfect time to look at how the betting market has reacted to the early flurry of offseason moves as the dust has started to settle.
The Oilers and Capitals have made the biggest climb up the oddsboard. Edmonton jumped from +1200 to +900 on theScore Bet, while Washington shortened from +1800 to +1200. Although the market has liked what both have done in the offseason, neither team has odds as short as the Stanley Cup favorites - Panthers, Avalanche, and Hurricanes.
Stanley Cup Odds
| Team | SC Odds (7/13) | SC Odds (6/25) | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | +650 | +650 | ↔️ |
| Avalanche | +700 | +750 | ⬆️ |
| Hurricanes | +750 | +700 | ⬇️ |
| Oilers | +900 | +1200 | ⬆️ |
| Golden Knights | +1000 | +1200 | ⬆️ |
| Lightning | +1200 | +1200 | ↔️ |
| Capitals | +1200 | +1800 | ⬆️ |
| Wild | +1400 | +1200 | ⬇️ |
| Stars | +1600 | +1600 | ↔️ |
| Canadiens | +2500 | +1800 | ⬇️ |
| Devils | +2500 | +2500 | ↔️ |
| Maple Leafs | +2500 | +2500 | ↔️ |
| Ducks | +2500 | +2500 | ↔️ |
| Sabres | +3000 | +2500 | ⬇️ |
| Kings | +3000 | +2500 | ⬇️ |
| Mammoth | +3000 | +3000 | ↔️ |
| Senators | +3500 | +2500 | ⬇️ |
| Sharks | +3500 | +4000 | ⬆️ |
| Flyers | +5000 | +4000 | ⬇️ |
| Blue Jackets | +6000 | +5000 | ⬇️ |
| Rangers | +7500 | +7500 | ↔️ |
| Penguins | +7500 | +5000 | ⬇️ |
| Bruins | +10000 | +6000 | ⬇️ |
| Red Wings | +10000 | +7500 | ⬇️ |
| Predators | +10000 | +10000 | ↔️ |
| Islanders | +10000 | +6000 | ⬇️ |
| Blues | +10000 | +10000 | ↔️ |
| Jets | +10000 | +6000 | ⬇️ |
| Blackhawks | +15000 | +15000 | ↔️ |
| Kraken | +25000 | +25000 | ↔️ |
| Flames | +30000 | +30000 | ↔️ |
| Canucks | +40000 | +30000 | ⬇️ |
🏒 Bet on who will win the Stanley Cup with theScore Bet here
The Oilers didn't make any jaw-dropping moves, but their collection of savvy deals has bettors intrigued. Most notably, Edmonton hired Mike Babcock as its new head coach, a surprising decision given his controversial reputation and abrupt resignation from the Blue Jackets before even coaching a single game.
Despite the baggage that comes with Babcock, the hiring seems to be what superstar Connor McDavid thinks is best after falling in the first round of the playoffs this past season and losing in the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and 2025.
As for player moves, the Oilers traded Darnell Nurse and his massive contract to the Sharks, freeing up cap space and giving them some financial flexibility. In exchange, Edmonton acquired 24-year-old blue-liner Shakir Mukhamadullin - who logged 50 games with San Jose last season - and used some of the savings to sign defenseman Ryan Shea.
The Oilers are also hoping to boost their goaltending by signing Fredrik Andersen, who's fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the Hurricanes.
Meanwhile, the Capitals spent heavily in the offseason, largely to entice Alex Ovechkin to return for another year - and it worked. With Ovechkin back and Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, and Boone Jenner brought in, Washington has positioned itself as an Eastern Conference favorite.
The Canadiens slipped down the oddsboard, perhaps reflecting the betting market's expectation that Montreal would be aggressive in free agency. While the Habs extended Ivan Demidov and Jakub Dobes, they haven't added to the roster.
The Senators also moved from +2500 to +3500 after trading captain Brady Tkachuk to Florida, then acquiring William Eklund from the Sharks to serve as a replacement.
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