Every NHL Team's Championship Odds at the Start of the 2025-26 Season

It's the most wonderful time of the year, for now.

The NHL 2025-26 regular season got underway on Tuesday, officially kicking off the Florida Panthers' bid for the league's first three-peat championship since the New York Islanders in 1982.

Needless to say, the B/R hockey staff is pretty revved up about the arrival of the initial puck drops and we channeled the excitement into scanning the championship odds for all 32 teams as laid out by the good people at DraftKings.

A Stanley Cup parade seems more realistic in some places than others, but we split the entire field into tiers and laid them out from the ones most likely to be pining for Gavin McKenna in the draft to the ones who could be scanning a downtown parade.

Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought in the app comments.

32. Chicago Blackhawks (+50000)

It's Year 3 of the Connor Bedard Era in Chicago, and the bad news is that the Blackhawks don't seem any closer now than they did on his draft night.

31. San Jose Sharks (+50000)

GM Mike Grier is immersed in the team-building grind and has added some veteran grit to his cache of young talent, but he's still far closer to McKenna than a Cup.

30. Pittsburgh Penguins (+20000)

Don't tell Sid, Malkin and Co., but the Penguins won't be winning them another Cup this season or anytime soon. Will that prompt a trade for No. 87? Stay tuned.

29. Seattle Kraken (+20000)

Coach Lane Lambert inherits a foundering ship in Seattle, which made the playoffs one glorious time but has since sunk into a purgatory that seems long-term.

28. Boston Bruins (+15000)

Raising Zdeno Chara's number to the rafters at TD Garden will provide a feel-good moment during the season, but there won't be much more to smile about.

27. New York Islanders (+15000)

Could the Islanders outpace the McKenna tier? Perhaps. But how bad would it really be to stay in the running for another No. 1 pick after Matthew Schaefer in June?

26. Philadelphia Flyers (+15000)

It's been 50 years since Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent skated around Buffalo's old Memorial Auditorium with their second straight Cup. The streak won't end soon.

25. Anaheim Ducks (+10000)

It would take a pretty big miracle for Joel Quenneville to earn a fourth Cup ring in his first year with the Ducks, but his presence alone gets them out of the lowest tier.

24. Buffalo Sabres (+10000)

It's been 14 seasons since the Sabres made the playoffs, so let's cross that hurdle first. It's worth mentioning they've never won a Cup and haven't been close since 1999.

23. Calgary Flames (+10000)

The Flames were surprisingly still in the hunt for a Western playoff spot until the final week of the 2024-25 season, but a deep playoff run will be way more surprising.

22. Columbus Blue Jackets (+9000)

There was no better story than the Blue Jackets last season, and it yielded playoff contention to the season's late stages. But following it up will be a task.

21. Detroit Red Wings (+9000)

It's good to be a Hall of Famer and a three-time Cup winner as a player in Detroit, but if the Red Wings don't see the playoffs again, say goodbye to Steve Yzerman.

20. Nashville Predators (+7000)

This time last year the Predators were having somewhat legitimate Cup dreams. But after a 30th-place flop last season, simply being relevant in April seems ideal.

19. Vancouver Canucks (+7000)

Will production replace dysfunction in Vancouver, where the Canucks plummeted from a Pacific Division title to a missed playoff berth? Maybe if we pretend.

18. Montreal Canadiens (+5000)

The Canadiens may not be planning a parade through Quebec's traditionally hockey-crazy city in late June, but legit plans ought to be made before too long.

17. St. Louis Blues (+5000)

Considering how good they were in the back half of 2024-25 and how big a scare they gave the Presidents' Trophy winners, the Blues are pretenders. But not by a lot.

16. Utah Mammoth (+4500)

Go ahead and imagine how great it would be to see one of the league's coolest jerseys in a big-time playoff spotlight. It's highly unlikely, but it's still a fun thought.

15. Minnesota Wild (+4000)

They signed their highest-profile forward and locked up a sturdy goalie for several years as well. Now, we get to see if last year's hot start was legit or a mirage.

14. Washington Capitals (+3000)

Alex Ovechkin got his record and the Capitals parlayed the buzz all season into a top Eastern Conference seed. But it's hard to find folks beyond D.C. who buy in.

13. New York Rangers (+3000)

Is a Cup-winning coach the secret to unlocking the title potential of a team that won the Presidents' Trophy the season before last? Mike Sullivan, it's your turn to answer.

12. Ottawa Senators (+3000)

A few rungs above the equally optimistic and future-focused Canadiens, the Senators gave Toronto a playoff push last spring and seem ready to stay relevant.

11. Winnipeg Jets (+2500)

Similar to the Capitals, the Jets were high achievers in winning a Presidents' Trophy last season, but it was followed by another playoff flop. Wake us when that changes.

10. Los Angeles Kings (+2200)

It's hard to envision a team with four straight first-round exits suddenly engineering 16 playoff wins, but the Kings did add some veteran grit in the offseason. We'll see.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs (+2000)

Ah, yes. The Maple Leafs. What more needs to be said? They're a perennial contender based on talent. It'll be interesting to see what the post-Marner results are.

8. New Jersey Devils (+1300)

If any team on this tier is crashing the party, it's the Devils. They're stacked and have reliable goaltending. If there's a new face in the final four this year, it'll be them.

7. Dallas Stars (+1000)

Goalie Jake Oettinger was the winner in the behind-the-scenes match with now-ex-coach Pete DeBoer, so we'll see if Glen Gulutzan can get the Stars over the hump.

6. Florida Panthers (+1000)

Two-time champs at 10-to-1? Would it surprise anyone if Barkov were ready by the time the playoffs start? If that's the case, you tell them they can't win it again.

5. Colorado Avalanche (+900)

The team that won the Cup in 2022 looked ready to stay on top for a while. It hasn't happened, but they're still as talented as anyone if the goaltending holds up.

4. Vegas Golden Knights (+900)

If you want a team built for a playoff push, look at the Golden Knights. Someone has to emerge from the West to reach the Finals, and now they have Marner, too.

3. Edmonton Oilers (+850)

The glee in Edmonton is real now that Connor McDavid has extended. The window is officially open through 2027-28, so let's see if the Oilers can finally climb through.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (+800)

The Lightning haven't escaped Round 1 in three seasons, but the oddsmakers have them in the No. 2. Talented up front, for sure. And Jon Cooper is as good as there is.

1. Carolina Hurricanes (+750)

This seems sort of familiar. The Hurricanes have built an identity on being a favorite but not producing. Nikolaj Ehlers is an intriguing add. So, in October, it's theirs to lose.