The champagne has barely dried, the parade route probably still smells like beer, and somehow we are already arguing about the 2027 Stanley Cup odds.

That is hockey in 2026. One team wins, another team loses, and before anyone can fully process what just happened, sportsbooks are already asking the next question: who’s next?

According to DraftKings, the early top ten for the 2027 Stanley Cup looks like this: Carolina Hurricanes at +700, Colorado Avalanche at +800, Vegas Golden Knights at +850, Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers tied at +1100, Tampa Bay Lightning at +1200, Minnesota Wild at +1400, Dallas Stars at +1500, Ottawa Senators at +1600, and Montreal Canadiens at +2200. DraftKings’ current Stanley Cup futures page matches the image, with Carolina listed first at +700, followed by Colorado and Vegas.  

So the question is simple: do these odds actually make sense?

Honestly? Mostly, yes. But there are a few teams on this list that feel more like reputation picks than true Stanley Cup favourites.

Let’s start with the obvious one: Carolina at +700.

The Hurricanes being listed as the favourite is completely fair. They just finished off a dominant Stanley Cup run, beat Vegas in six, and did it with the kind of structure that usually travels well from one season to the next. Reuters reported that Carolina closed the Final with a 3-0 win in Game 6, with Brandon Bussi recording a shutout and Jordan Staal winning the Conn Smythe after scoring in five of six Final games. Carolina finished the postseason 16-3, one of the strongest playoff runs of the modern era.  

That matters. This was not a fluke team that got hot for two weeks. This was a team built on defensive pressure, depth, coaching, and buy-in. Rod Brind’Amour teams are usually hard to play against even when they do not win. Now that they have broken through, the respect from oddsmakers is deserved.

The only reason to be careful with Carolina is the same reason you are careful with every defending champion: repeating is brutal. Short summer. Target on your back. Everyone circles you on the calendar. The emotional climb is different when you are defending instead of chasing. But if any team is built to survive that grind, Carolina is right near the top.

Colorado at +800 also makes sense. The Avalanche still have the kind of elite star power that can wreck any playoff series. When you have Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, you are never going to be far down a futures board. The New York Post noted that Colorado had a Presidents’ Trophy-winning season before getting swept by Vegas in the Western Conference Final, which pretty much sums up the Avalanche problem: amazing regular-season team, scary ceiling, but the playoff exits are starting to matter.  

Do I think Colorado is a legit Stanley Cup threat? Absolutely. Do I think they should be ahead of Vegas? That is where it gets interesting.

Vegas at +850 feels a little low considering they were just in the Stanley Cup Final and knocked out Colorado on the way there. The Golden Knights are never shy. They are aggressive, ruthless, and always seem to find a way to retool without fully rebuilding. If their core stays healthy, Vegas should be right there again.

But there is one concern: after losing a Final, especially one where Carolina seemed to tighten the screws as the series went on, you wonder how much of Vegas’ flaws were exposed. Their ceiling is still Cup-worthy. Their floor is still very high. But the West is not forgiving, and they will have to climb through a brutal path again.

Florida and Edmonton at +1100 are both interesting for very different reasons.

Florida being there is basically a respect ranking. The Panthers have built a reputation as a team nobody wants to see in the playoffs. They are heavy, annoying, skilled, and experienced. Even if they are not always the prettiest regular-season team, their style is made for April, May, and June. At +1100, that feels reasonable.

Edmonton at +1100 is the classic Connor McDavid tax. As long as McDavid is there, the Oilers will always get love from oddsmakers because he can tilt a series by himself. The issue is whether Edmonton has enough around him to survive four rounds. At some point, “they have McDavid” has to become “they have the complete team.” Until then, they are dangerous, but not automatic.

Tampa Bay at +1200 is where I start to hesitate.

Yes, the Lightning have the names. Yes, the pedigree is still there. Yes, nobody wants to totally write them off because they have made a lot of people look dumb before. But reputation can keep a team’s odds shorter than they probably should be. The New York Post pointed out Tampa has dealt with four straight first-round exits, which is a major red flag if we are talking about true Cup legitimacy.  

At some point, past championships stop being evidence and start becoming nostalgia. Tampa can still be good. But sixth-best odds? That feels generous.

Minnesota at +1400 is one of the most fascinating teams on the board. The Wild are not usually treated like a glamour Cup pick, so seeing them seventh tells you the market believes there is something real there. They have talent, structure, and enough upside to be dangerous. Still, this is the kind of team that has to prove it in the playoffs before most fans fully buy in.

Dallas at +1500 feels fair. The Stars are usually deep, balanced, and built like a team that can win rounds. They are not a flashy pick compared to Colorado or Edmonton, but sometimes the boring contender is the one that hangs around the longest. If you are looking for value among the top ten, Dallas might be one of the safer bets.

Ottawa at +1600 is the bold one.

The Senators being ninth tells you DraftKings sees them as more than just a young fun team. They are being priced like a real threat. That is exciting for Ottawa fans, but it also comes with pressure. Young teams often look ready before they actually are. Taking the next step is hard. Taking the next step in the Atlantic is even harder. I like the upside, but Cup odds this short might be a little aggressive.

Then there is Montreal at +2200.

For Canadiens fans, this is where hope meets reality. Being in the top ten is a massive sign of respect, especially for a team that has been trying to push from rebuilding into relevance. But are the Habs truly a Cup contender right now? That is a tougher sell. They have exciting pieces and a fan base starving for a deep run, but +2200 feels like a mix of future projection and public betting interest. Montreal moves numbers. The brand matters.

So overall, are these odds legit?

For the most part, yes.

Carolina, Colorado, Vegas, Florida, Edmonton, Dallas — those all make sense. Tampa is a little reputation-heavy. Ottawa and Montreal are exciting, but maybe priced more on upside than proof. Minnesota is the wild card that could either make DraftKings look smart or have everyone asking why they were this high in June.

The biggest takeaway is this: the league does feel wide open, but Carolina deserves the top spot until someone proves otherwise.

They just won. They did it convincingly. They have the coach, the structure, the depth, and now the belief.

But if hockey teaches us anything every year, it is that June odds can look hilarious by April.

So yes, DraftKings’ board looks legit.

Just don’t frame it yet.