The NHL season is well underway now and the contenders for the championship are beginning to separate themselves from the early pretenders.
The top of each division looks tight among a handful of teams and barring any shocks it looks relatively sure that there will be some teams competing to lift the big trophy at the end of the season.
We'll take a look at the favorites to be crowned NHL Stanley Cup champions in 2024 and provide you with our best free betting picks to see if we can earn you some extra cash along the way.
| NHL Stanley Cup 2024 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche | +850 | +800 | +780 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +725 | +900 | +840 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +1100 | +1000 | +980 |
| Boston Bruins | +800 | +1000 | +800 |
| Dallas Stars | +950 | +1100 | +980 |
Learn more about how to bet on the NHL post-season here.
NHL Stanley Cup 2024 favorites
Below you'll find a list of favorites to win the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup.
Colorado Avalanche - (+850)
The Avalanche have been the betting favorites for years but are now a solid value play due to Vegas’ hot start. Colorado have managed 14 wins from their first 20 games of the season, putting them top of the Central division in the Western Conference.
They were dealt a host of injury problems in the 2022/23 season and still managed to finish top of their division before crashing out against the Seattle Kraken in the first round of the playoffs.
Although captain Gabriel Landeskog will miss another full season with a knee injury, the core of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Mikko Rantanen, Devon Toews, and others still is far superior to most teams’ group.
There will be significant challenges from the West, but at these odds, the Avs look like a superb play to go all the way and claim their second title in three years.
Check out our review for Bovada sports betting here.
Vegas Golden Knights - (+900)
The Golden Knights claimed their first ever championship last season and then went on to get their house in order by re-signing forward Ivan Barbashev and goalie Adin Hill to long-term contracts.
So far, Vegas has shown no hangover effect after winning the championship in 2023, and there is a bit of urgency for the group to max out its championship window. Major players like Chandler Stephenson, Jonathan Marchessault, and Alec Martinez are slated to hit unrestricted free agency after the 2024 season and there will be some decision to make on who to re-sign.
So far they sit top of the Pacific division in the Western conference with 14 wins from their 21 games and they look as strong as ever.
It’s hard to repeat. But Vegas should be considered a good bet to do so.
Boston Bruins - (+1000)
The Bruins may have lost centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci to retirement, but they’ve shown no ill effects of their departure.
Boston find themselves top of the Atlantic division in the Eastern conference with 14 wins from their 20 games, and they also have the best goal difference in the division too.
With a potent offense, sexceptional defense and goaltending, they have a real chance to compete. The Bruins have history on their side, too, since the top-5 teams on the NHL’s single-season wins list have won the Stanley Cup the following season.
Dallas Stars - (+1100)
The Stars were the Western Conference runners-up last season and are off to another hot start. Jake Oettinger is playing like one of the favorites in Vezina Trophy odds, and Dallas continues to execute the defensive style coach Peter DeBoer likes to play.
The Stars have been to the NHL’s final four in two of the past four seasons, so they have playoff experience.
It’s just a matter of if Dallas can finally get over the hump and bring the trophy to Texas for the first time since 1999. They currently sit behind Carolina in their division, but they're on course for another playoff run and that means they have every chance of breaking their drought.
Carolina Hurricanes - (+1100)
The Hurricanes made it halfway up the Cup mountain in 2023, then made major moves to address their defense by adding Dmitry Orlov and offensive-minded Tony DeAngelo.
Carolina locked in star man center Sebastian Aho and welcomed back Andrei Svechnikov from a knee injury that cost him the final two months of the regular and post-season last time out.
The worry is always about the Canes’ offense come playoff time. But with that defense and stingy goaltending, they are worthy of being on the short list of favorites, even with Frederik Andersen out. It's definitely a bet to take a look at.
New York Rangers - (+1200)
The star-laden Rangers are reaping the rewards of hiring Peter Laviolette as coach. New York has warded off injuries to superstar goalie Igor Shesterkin and defenseman Adam Fox and rolled to the top of the Metropolitan Division with 15 wins from their 19 games.
Laviolette has coached three teams to the Stanley Cup Final in his first three seasons behind the bench, including the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes, who ultimately won the trophy. The Rangers look like clear contenders and there is great value in this bet.
