The Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers, and Colorado Avalanche share co-favorite status at +700 odds for the 2026 Stanley Cup despite the Panthers\' back-to-back championship victories, according to ESPN BET.
Sportsbooks show disagreement on next season\'s favorites following Florida\'s 5-1 Game 6 victory over Edmonton on Tuesday night. DraftKings lists the Oilers as outright favorites, while FanDuel had the Carolina Hurricanes leading the odds before Game 6.
ESPN BET adjusted Colorado\'s odds from +650 to +700 this week to match Florida and Edmonton. The Avalanche had been the sole favorite before the sportsbook\'s recent revision.
Roster Stability Favors Colorado
Adrian Horton, ESPN BET\'s trading director, cited roster continuity as Colorado\'s primary advantage entering the offseason. The Avalanche have 19 of 23 roster spots under contract and expect healthier players next season.
\"There\'s a lot more questions around the Panthers and Oilers than the Avalanche, who are set to return a majority of their roster and have the benefit of a longer offseason,\" Horton said.
Colorado benefits from having Gabriel Landeskog healthy and retaining superstars Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. The team avoided the physical toll of consecutive deep playoff runs that affected Florida and Edmonton.
Free Agency Questions Surround Champions
Horton expressed uncertainty about the Panthers\' roster composition following upcoming free agency moves. He also questioned the psychological impact of Edmonton\'s second consecutive Stanley Cup Final loss.
\"The Avs, on the other hand, have 19 out of 23 roster spots under contract, including a healthy Gabriel Landeskog and two of the best players in the world in Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon,\" Horton noted.
The Carolina Hurricanes (+800) and Dallas Stars (+900) complete the top tier of championship contenders. The Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks face the longest odds at 500-1 entering the offseason.