The Chicago Blackhawks are 16-4 in their last 20 games, surging past the Dallas Stars to claim the top spot in the standings in the Western Conference with 76 points. The Blackhawks will need to survive a tough path in the West to defend their Stanley Cup crown.
Stanley Cup odds 2016: Blackhawks, Capitals leading the way on NHL futures
The Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals head out of the All-Star Break as the top contenders on the odds to win the Stanley Cup.
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Chicago is currently going off at +500 on the odds to win the Stanley Cup this season at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Despite another offseason of major shakeups up and down the roster, the Blackhawks continue to play like the team to beat due to their core of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith.
Kane has been unstoppable this season with 32 goals and 44 assists in 57 games, and the Blackhawks have a real shot at winning their fourth Cup in the last seven years.
To get back to the Stanley Cup Final, the Blackhawks will likely have to get through a couple of the conference’s top contenders including the Los Angeles Kings (+800 to win the Cup), Dallas Stars (+1200), Anaheim Ducks (+1200), and St. Louis Blues (+2000).
The Kings hold a comfortable lead in the Pacific Division with 67 points through 52 games, and a long offseason of rest after missing the playoffs seems to have rejuvenated and refocused the team. Trade acquisition Vincent Lecavalier has surprised the hockey world with a resurgence in L.A., adding some depth scoring with five goals and three assists in 13 games.
The current favorite to win the Stanley Cup is the Washington Capitals, who are going off at +400 to win it all. Unlike the path in the West that looks extremely murky, the Capitals have far-and-away been the best team in the East this season with a 39-9-4 record and 82 points in 52 games.
Buying into Barry Trotz’s defensive style while also maintaining the team’s offensive prowess, the Capitals rank best in the NHL on offense with 3.3 goals per game and second-best in goals against by allowing only 2.3 per game.
Looking to dethrone the Capitals in the East are the Florida Panthers (+1400), Pittsburgh Penguins (+1400), Tampa Bay Lightning (+1600) and New York Rangers (+2000). Led by the brilliant goaltending of the 36-year-old Roberto Luongo, the Panthers are one of the biggest surprises of the 2015-16 season with a 32-16-6 record in 54 games.
NHL Stanley Cup 2016 Odds
Washington Capitals +400
Chicago Blackhawks +500
Los Angeles Kings +800
Dallas Stars +1200
Anaheim Ducks +1200
Florida Panthers +1400
Pittsburgh Penguins +1400
Tampa Bay Lightning +1600
St. Louis Blues +2000
New York Rangers +2000
See More:
