NHL Stanley Cup Final Offseason Recap and 2021 Preview
The NHL is finally set to open the 2021 season on January 13, and the world of hockey bets is teeming with excitement. Following the Tampa Bay Lightning’s championship victory as NHL Stanley Cup odds favourites this past fall, there was a lot of uncertainty about the start of this season. But with the NHL committing to strict testing for COVID-19, the league and NHLPA agreed to a 56-game schedule.
In addition to ironing out the logistics of playing during a global health pandemic, the NHL has had a busy offseason with several significant moves in free agency and on the trade board. While many of the top clubs from last year continue to hold favourable odds to win Stanley Cup glory in the lead up to January 13, we have watched the 2021 Stanley Cup odds board fluctuate considerably. We’ll preview the top NHL Vegas odds contenders, but be sure to check out our sportsbook for a full list of options on the NHL odds.
NHL Odds to Win the 2021 Stanley Cup
Colorado Avalanche +600 NHL Odds
With the acquisition of Brandon Saad, the Colorado Avalanche not only get a valuable veteran presence among their top-6 forward group, he’ll also cement the ultra-talented top line of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. The addition of D Devon Toews on the back end also gives the Aves some valuable defensive depth. With a fairly weak West Division making up Colorado’s regular season opponents and first two round of the playoffs, we should expect this club to make a lot of noise in 2021.
Tampa Bay Lightning +750 NHL Odds
Tampa Bay was finally able to get cap compliant this week when they traded two players and a pick to the Ottawa Senators. The Lightning have been up against a flat cap ceiling since signing several key players, including Mikhail Sergachev, this offseason. Now with the roster set, Tampa will be ready to start training camp and make a run at back-to-back Stanley Cups. They have one of the deepest rosters in the NHL and are rarely a bargain on the NHL lines—get them while you can.
Vegas Golden Knights +800 NHL Odds
After coming up short in the Western Conference Finals last playoffs, the Golden Knights came out swinging this postseason, signing the NHL’s top free agent in Alex Pietrangelo. The Blues’ former captain will slot in as Vegas’ top defender and improve the club’s back end significantly. That’s a dangerous thought for a club that’s going to roll with two No. 1 goaltenders in Robin Lehner and Marc-Andre Fleury, and two elite offensive lines.
Toronto Maple Leafs +1100 NHL Odds
Toronto will be among the more intriguing options in the newly-created North Division. They had a busy offseason, adding a number of veteran forwards, including Joe Thornton and Wayne Simmonds, and removing the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins from their division will only improve their chances at making a deep run in the playoffs. Could this be the year that the Leafs finally break out in the postseason?