Colorado was one of the great disappointments in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. At the onset of the postseason, the Avalanche were favored to hoist hockey’s Holy Grail. Colorado was eliminated in the second round by the Golden Knights. Vegas rallied from an 0-2 deficit to take the series. However, gamblers are coming back for more on the Avalanche. Colorado opened as the NHL betting odds favorite to win the 2022 Stanley Cup. The second choice on the board is the two-time defending Cup champion Lightning. Vegas completes the top-tier of favorites as the third choice.
2021-22 Stanley Cup Championship Odds
| Date and Time: | Season Open Tuesday, October 12, 2021 |
|---|---|
| 2021-22 NHL TV Coverage: | ESPN Family of Networks and TNT |
2021-22 Stanley Cup Championship Odds at SBG
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche | +625 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +700 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +800 |
| Boston Bruins | +1200 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +1400 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +1400 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | +1800 |
| Florida Panthers | +2000 |
| New York Islanders | +2000 |
| Minnesota Wild | +2200 |
| Montreal Canadiens | +2500 |
| New York Rangers | +2500 |
| Washington Capitals | +2500 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +2800 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | +3000 |
| Dallas Stars | +3500 |
| St. Louis Blues | +3500 |
| Nashville Predators | +4000 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +4000 |
| Calgary Flames | +4000 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | +5000 |
| Seattle Kraken | +5000 |
| Vancouver Canucks | +5000 |
| Los Angeles Kings | +6600 |
| San Jose Sharks | +6600 |
| New Jersey Devils | +6600 |
| Arizona Coyotes | +10000 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | +10000 |
| Anaheim Ducks | +10000 |
| Ottawa Senators | +10000 |
| Buffalo Sabres | +20000 |
2021-22 Stanley Cup Championship SBG Odds Overview
Colorado is ranked as the most talented sportsbook choice. But as we learn each spring, skill and speed aren’t enough to win the Stanley Cup. Heart and grit matter every bit as much, if not more, come playoff time. Still, gamblers can’t resist the loaded Avalanche lineup. Tampa Bay is a battle-tested champion with the best goaltender in the NHL. Meanwhile, Vegas has become the most public team on the board this side of the Maple Leafs. Sin City loves its Golden Knights but hates that Marc Andre Fleury was traded to the Blackhawks.
Colorado Avalanche +625
Naturally, Colorado is the understandable betting favorite to win the Stanley Cup. When the Avs went up 2-0 on Vegas in the second round of the playoffs, they were labeled a lock. Past Stanley Cup champions, including Tampa Bay, had to suffer painful losses to learn what it takes to finish. Wisely, head coach Jared Bednar was retained. However, top goaltender Philip Grubauer signed with expansion Seattle. Darcy Kuemper is the projected new number, one goalie. Center Nathan MacKinnon powers a potent scoring attack. But more sandpaper is needed.
Tampa Bay Lightning +700
Tampa Bay has paid a tremendous price in mileage, wear and tear to win consecutive Stanley Cups. And with Andrei Vasilevskiy between the pipes, they could again prevail. But three successive Stanley Cups defy gravity in today’s salary cap era.
Vegas Golden Knights +800
Namely, Marc Andre Fleury was the marquee man of the VGK. But he was traded to Chicago to clear cap space. As a result, inconsistent Robin Lehner gets the job by default. Vegas will use Fleury’s cap amount trying to fortify their middle.
Other Top Contenders
In like manner to the Avalanche, Toronto is talented but needing grit. Edmonton was one of the most active teams in the offseason. At the same time, Winnipeg was universally praised for improving its team through the draft and free agency.
2021-22 Stanley Cup Championship SBG Free Picks
In this situation, two teams stand apart. Colorado and Toronto are the two NHL betting choices likely to meet in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.
2021-22 SBG Best Bet: Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs.