The Washington Capitals have wrapped up the Presidents’ Trophy with just under two weeks left in the NHL’s regular season, and with their stellar record, they remain the clear betting favorites on the odds to win the Stanley Cup at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
The Capitals are the +400 (4/1) favorites on the latest Stanley Cup betting futures released by the sportsbooks, with Alexander Ovechkin and company now playing out the string while awaiting their first-round playoff opponent.
Washington has been so dominant in the Eastern Conference this season that the next five teams on the odds to win the Stanley Cup all come from the Western Conference – led by the Los Angeles Kings at +700 as they try to fend off the Anaheim Ducks for first place in the Pacific Division standings.
The Chicago Blackhawks, stumbling down the stretch, are third at +750. Chicago, at 3-5-2 in its past 10 games, has dropped into third place in the Central Division standings, and has set itself up for a tough first-round series against either the Dallas Stars or the St. Louis Blues.
The Ducks sit just a step back of the Hawks at +800, with the Stars at +900, and the Blues at +1000.
The Pittsburgh Penguins then show up as the next Eastern club on those NHL futures, at +1200 to claim the Stanley Cup this spring. Even with Evgeni Malkin sidelined, the Penguins have picked up nine wins in their past 10 games to solidify their spot in the postseason and to put pressure on the New York Rangers, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division.
The San Jose Sharks, also challenging the Kings and Ducks for top spot in the Pacific Division, are at +1400 on the updated Stanley Cup odds, with the Rangers at +1600, and the Tampa Bay Lightning at +1800. Tampa Bay is tied with the Florida Panthers atop the Atlantic Division standings; Florida has +2000 Cup odds.
Rounding out the NHL futures board are the Nashville Predators at +2200, the New York Islanders and Minnesota Wild at +2800, the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, and Detroit Red Wings at +4000, and the Colorado Avalanche at +10000. The Avalanche have not been able to keep up with the red-hot Wild in the chase for the final Wild Card berth in the Western Conference.