Finally, the NHL betting odds wait is over. The NHL is back. And for the next 8+ months, the 32 teams will fight to become the one that hoists Lord Stanley’s Cup. Following a long and quiet summer in the NHL, gamblers and fans are ready for puck drop. This summer was among the calmest in recent years. The Kings and Penguins made the biggest moves of the summer. To show, Los Angeles landed Pierre-Luc Dubois in a deal with Winnipeg. While Pittsburgh brought in three-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson in a trade with San Jose.
2023-24 NHL Stanley Cup Futures Preview
| Date: | NHL Season Runs Now Through June 2024 |
|---|---|
| Betting Online Odds at SBG: | Click Here |
Atlantic Division
Of course, gamblers see the Maple Leafs as the strongest out of the online betting group. Toronto added skill and sandpaper up front with Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi. Meanwhile, the Panthers will be rolling out almost the same crew that made it to the finals last season.
Following their record-setting campaign last year, the Bruins were going to regress, with or without Patrice Bergeron. Still, they have a talented defensive group and excellent goaltending. Of great concern is the loss of Andrei Vasilevskiy for the Lightning. Tampa Bay already had depth concerns at both forward and defense.
Metropolitan Division
First, you have the Hurricanes and Devils. Last season, Carolina was dominant. The Canes rely on depth and structure to win. The same recipe will be in place this year. The Devils took a major step forward last season. Namely, Jack Hughes emerged as a legit superstar. The goaltending is not yet stabilized.
In turn, the Rangers should pull away from the Penguins-Islanders-Capitals cluster. However, New York won’t catch the Devils or Hurricanes. Correlate that it will be Igor Shesterkin’s job to carry the team. Meanwhile, the Penguins, Islanders, and Capitals are all in a similar spot to last season. All three will contend for the playoffs, but only one breaks through.
Pittsburgh’s move to land Erik Karlsson is nice on paper. But he is due to regress coming off a career year. New York will be reliant on Ilya Sorokin. At the same time, Washington must bank on an older roster to stay healthy.
Central Division
At the onset, the Stars and Avalanche are the clear frontrunners. Last season, Colorado narrowly edged Dallas for the Central title. But it swings in the Stars’ favor this offseason. After adding Matt Duchene, the Stars may have the best top-nine forward group in the league. On the other hand, the Avalanche will still be without Gabriel Landeskog. At the same time, Colorado will be a healthier and more determined team.
Pacific Division
Everything heading into this year screams that this is finally the year McDavid and the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final. After hoisting the Cup in 2022, Colorado was an early exit last year. Hence, we should see a 2022 Western Conference Final rematch with the Avs and Oilers.
The Golden Knights will be the same team that won the Stanley Cup. Although they are without Reilly Smith. Vegas does boast a healthy Logan Thompson to operate with Adin Hill in goal.
The Kraken proved last year that the team is legit. Thus, Seattle will take another NHL betting step forward this season.