2018 Stanley Cup odds: Surprising Golden Knights chase Lightning at midseason

Jim Cerny

2018 Stanley Cup odds: Surprising Golden Knights chase Lightning at midseason image

What a difference half a season makes.

Of the top five teams in Westgate's preseason odds to win the Stanley Cup, only one -- the Tampa Bay Lightning -- remains within the Top 5 at the halfway point of the NHL season.

The Lightning opened at 12/1, tied for the third-best odds to win it all behind the defending Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the Edmonton Oilers, who were 6/1 and 9/1 respectively back in September. At midseason, the Lightning have the best odds to win the Stanley Cup at 5/1 -- no surprise since the Bolts sit atop the league with 31 wins and 65 points.

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Of course, the biggest surprise in the NHL this season is the success of the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, who are in first place in the Western Conference with a stunning 60 points. Before the season, Westgate listed the Golden Knights as one of five teams with 200/1 odds to win the Stanley Cup, worst in the league. Now, Vegas is right behind Tampa Bay with 7/1 odds.

In the midst of a dreadful season, the Oilers fell from the No. 2 slot all the way to 20th currently at 40/1. Of the seven Canadian-based teams, the Winnipeg Jets have the best current odds to rasie the Cup at 18/1, a big jump from their original 50/1 odds.

The last overall Arizona Coyotes have the worst odds to win the Stanley Cup at 2,000/1.

Here is the complete list of all 31 NHL teams and their odds to win the Stanley Cup, according to Las Vegas-based oddsmaker Westgate:

 

TEAM PRESEASON ODDS MIDSEASON ODDS
Tampa Bay Lightning 12/1 5/1
Vegas Golden Knights 200/1 7/1
Toronto Maple Leafs 14/1 10/1
Nashville Predators 14/1 12/1
St. Louis Blues 30/1 14/1
Dallas Stars 14/1 16/1
Los Angeles Kings 20/1 16/1
Pittsburgh Penguins 6/1 16/1
Columbus Blue Jackets 25/1 18/1
New York Rangers 16/1 18/1
Washington Capitals 12/1 18/1
Winnipeg Jets 50/1 18/1
Anaheim Ducks 14/1 20/1
Boston Bruins 30/1 20/1
San Jose Sharks 20/1 20/1
Chicago Blackhawks 12/1 25/1
Minnesota Wild 12/1 25/1
Carolina Hurricanes 60/1 30/1
New Jersey Devils 200/1 30/1
New York Islanders 50/1 30/1
Calgary Flames 30/1 40/1
Edmonton Oilers 9/1 40/1
Montreal Canadiens 16/1 50/1
Philadelphia Flyers 50/1 50/1
Florida Panthers 40/1 100/1
Ottawa Senators 30/1 100/1
Colorado Avalanche 100/1 200/1
Vancouver Canucks 200/1 300/1
Detroit Red Wings 200/1 500/1
Buffalo Sabres 60/1 1,000/1
Arizona Coyotes 200/1 2,000/1

 

Jim Cerny