We’re days removed from the Avalanche beating the Lightning in the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Finals, but hey, it’s never too early to start looking ahead to the 2023 season. In this article, we’re giving you early predictions about which team could end up hosting the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Trophy (and hopefully not denting it like the current holders; thanks Nicolas Aube-Kubel).
The top-used betting sites for NHL wasted zero time in posting 2023 Stanley Cup futures odds. Seriously, the Avs were still sipping beer from the Cup when next year’s lines went up online. At the moment, the following teams are most favored to become the 2023 champions:
| Team |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche | +450 | +450 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +800 | +800 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +900 | +900 |
| Florida Panthers | +1000 | +1000 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +1400 | +1400 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +1400 | +1400 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +1800 | +1800 |
| Calgary Flames | +1800 | +1800 |
| Minnesota Wild | +1800 | +1800 |
Betting Advice For 2023 Stanley Cup Finals
To preface our betting advice for the 2023 Stanley Cup, we have to make one thing abundantly clear: you should not be betting “the house” right now — unless you have a strong desire to burn a hole in your pocket. It’s way too early, hence the article headline. Inevitably, the offseason will change the NHL pecking order once trades are completed and free agents are signed. We’re mostly speculating on the 2023 Cup champions for fun and with a small portion of our betting funds.
Now, on to our 2023 speculations. We’re going to break this down into two categories — teams you should bet on and ones you should skip out on. Bottom-feeders like the Coyotes won’t be included since we all know they’re not real contenders. Instead, we’re advising on teams that have legit Stanley Cup aspirations in the year to come. Let’s get into it:
Do Bet: Colorado Avalance
Colorado put Tampa’s dynasty hopes on pause and perhaps began their own. This team has serious repeat potential and is deserving to be 2022 favorites, as most major online sportsbooks have pegged them.
The core group of players that won the championship this year should be back, and perhaps even improved. That includes proven commodities like Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog, as well as new stars such as Cale Makar (the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner) and fellow defensemen Bowen Byram. All four are under the age of 30, which is why we’re optimistic that internal improvements are very possible.
To sustain this level of success, the Avs will need to address its goaltender situation first and foremost. It wasn’t great to begin with and now Darcy Kuemper is slated to become a free agent. The front office can entrust backup Pavel Francouz with the starting role or upgrade the position entirely with a new player. As a bettor, we’d keep a close eye on this before dedicating too much money on Colorado to go back to back.
Don’t Bet: Tampa Bay Lightning
After three straight Finals appearances (when combined equals almost an extra regular season played), it’s fair to wonder how much Tampa Bay has left in the “gas tank.” Fatigue will continue to set in, the roster will get older, and a few key pieces will likely be gone entirely — Ondrej Palat, Nicholas Paul, and Jan Rutta are all unrestricted free agents. While we’re certain the Lightning will be in championship contention, we’d be stunned if they claim a third title in four years. History strongly says it’ll be difficult to pull off.
Do Bet: Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers are probably still licking their chops from being swept in the Western Conference Finals, but they’ll definitely be in a position to avenge themselves in 2023. Look, when you have two of the very best players on the planet on the same team — as Edmonton does with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — then you always have a fighting chance.
Goaltending will need to be addressed in the offseason for the Oilers. Premium players at the position are already short and the franchise doesn’t exactly have a great cap situation, but something needs to be done after how Colorado manhandled them in the conference finals. It would be an utter shame to not take a risk and waste the talents of McDavid and Draisaitl.
Don’t Bet: Florida Panthers
The Panthers have now effectively taken the Avs former spot as the team that wins in the regular season, but can’t be trusted in the playoffs. Obviously, Colorado was able to rid itself of that reputation and win the “big one.” But we’re not so sure Florida can do the same despite winning the 2021 President’s Trophy with 122 points.
The franchise fired head coach Andrew Brunette and replaced him with Paul Maurice. To us, that feels like a lateral move. Maurice is experienced sure (he’s coached the fourth-most games in NHL history), but he doesn’t have a lot of postseason success himself. Of the 24 seasons he’s coached, only nine ended up in the playoffs. Moreover, Maurice has advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals once, losing in 2002. Maurice isn’t a bad hire by any means, but we’re not sure he’s the one to deliver success to this franchise that’s so desperate for it.
How To Bet On NHL Stanley Cup Futures?
You can bet on 2023 NHL Stanley Cup futures from now until next season’s playoffs at one of the underneath bookmakers. These sites will refresh championship odds as the season goes on (based on offseason acquisitions, injuries, regular-season play, and so forth). Signing up to use an online sportsbook is easy if you click the “play now” buttons below.
About the Author
Eric is uniquely suited to be a writer for SBS. For one, he's a journalist by trade. Eric spent a large part of his career, covering sports — high school, college, and professional — for newspapers and online-based sites. However, Eric is a bettor himself too. He has first-hand experience hanging out in smoky sportsbooks and casinos, dealing with the ebbs and flows of gambling, and an understanding of how bookies operate. Both these unique qualities make him an expert bet picker for SBS. You'll also see Eric report on the sports betting industry as a whole.
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