Stanley Cup odds: One NHL division stands out as the favorite to win

A team from the NHL's Atlantic Division has won four of the previous six Stanley Cups, thanks to back-to-back runs from the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. 

A team from the Pacific and Central Division won the other two, with the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights' championships breaking up the Lightning and Panthers' dominant runs.

The Metropolitan Division, which hasn't had a representative win the Cup since the Washington Capitals in 2018, is the odd one out. Will the Metropolitan Division end its seven-year barren spell, or is another Stanley Cup in store for one of the others? Here are the odds for which division will win the Stanley Cup.

Metropolitan Division (+450)

Excluding the Carolina Hurricanes, the outlook for a Metropolitan Division team winning the Stanley Cup is about as bleak as the Capitals' form since the festive period. 

The Metro's chances of winning the Cup ride disproportionately on the Carolina's coattails. Rod Brind'Amour's team advanced to the Eastern Conference final in two of the previous three seasons and is receiving the third-shortest hockey odds to win the Stanley Cup.

The New York Islanders have about as much chance as Bo Horvat does of winning the Hart Trophy. 

That leaves the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

With Sidney Crosby and Co. exceeding expectations, anything is possible. 

However, a Penguins Cup run would go down as one of the most surprising since the Los Angeles Kings in 2014. While the Hurricanes are a bona fide contender, I'm not tossing my eggs into the two-team basket. 

Pacific Division (+360)

The Golden Knights are the only Stanley Cup champions from the Pacific Division since the aforementioned Darryl Sutter-led Kings in 2014. 

We all know of the Edmonton Oilers' close-but-no-cigar syndrome. While they aren't playing like a Stanley Cup-winning outfit at the moment, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Co. usually turn it on when it matters most. 

The Golden Knights are in a similar boat, chock-full of elite talent but plagued by crippling inconsistency and subpar goaltending. However, both teams have enough top-tier talent to make a run.

The Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks require a few more years, and the Los Angeles Kings don't strike me as a team to replicate their 2012 fairy-tale run. 

If I were to back any individual across the NHL, it would be McDavid.

Unfortunately, a few otherworldly megastars don't guarantee a ring, and nobody is more aware of that fact than No. 97. So, it's a no for me when it comes to the Pacific Division.  

Atlantic Division (+250)

Having a Cup winner come from the Atlantic Division is the second-most likely scenario, primarily thanks to the Lightning's utter dominance over the last couple of months. 

Jon Cooper's team, which is a league-best 18-1-1 since Dec. 20, has the second-shortest Stanley Cup odds (+550). 

Beyond the Lightning, who represents the lone beast from the East, I'm not convinced. 

While there's still enough time to turn things around, the Panthers could become the sixth team to win a Stanley Cup and miss the playoffs the next season, and I'm not confident enough in any other team to pull the Atlantic Division trigger.

Central Division (+145)

Now, we're talking. 

A team from the Central is most likely to win the Stanley Cup, according to the 40.82 percent implied probability reflected in their +145 odds. 

The Avalanche, the presumed Presidents' Trophy winner, continues to set the pace despite enduring its first notable slide of the season. 

On that note, no team is immune to a dip over an 82-game season. Going through a rough patch at this juncture is not only expected but also beneficial, as every Stanley Cup champion must overcome adversity along the way. 

The Minnesota Wild also look the part, deep in every position and backstopped by an exquisite one-two punch in goal. They also represent the best chance to win from the 10 franchises that have yet to hoist a Stanley Cup. 

And then there's the Dallas Stars, who, despite losing 11 in a 14-game span, have the fourth-best points percentage (.670), marginally better than the Wild's .667. 

The Stars went on a scintillating run to end the 2024-25 regular season, and they have reeled off five straight wins. And they've advanced to the Western Conference final in the previous three seasons.  

Despite the high likelihood of either Dallas or Minnesota going down in the first round, I'm backing one of the three juggernauts to bring the Stanley Cup back to the Central Division.