By Kenny Burgess Contributor
Updated 8/10/23 2:01pm ET
Carolina Hurricanes +800
The Carolina Hurricanes enter the NHL season as the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Carolina has been among the favorites over the past couple of seasons, but hasn’t been able to get over the hump yet.
The Hurricanes retained most of their key pieces from last season, including Jesper Fast, Jordan Staal, and Frederik Anderson. Carolina also brought in high-impact free agents, including Michael Bunting, Tony DeAngelo, and Dmitry Orlov.
For a team that finished with the second most points a season ago, the Hurricanes seemed to have improved and appear poised for a big 2023.
New Jersey Devils +900
The New Jersey Devils were one of the biggest surprises in the NHL last season, finishing with the third-most points in the entire league. This team is young and many are expecting New Jersey to take yet another step forward this season.
The Devils were able to re-sign two of their biggest offensive threats in Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier, while also trading for Tyler Toffoli. Jack Hughes also took a big step forward last season and appears to be trending toward being one of the best players in the league. This leaves the Devils with one of the best and deepest forward groups in hockey. On the back end, New Jersey will get a full season of Luke Hughes, who is expected to be an elite offensive defenseman.
The Devils were able to win a playoff round last season and with some improvements/experience, oddsmakers see them as a serious threat next season.
Toronto Maple Leafs +900
The Toronto Maple Leafs were able to exercise some playoff demons last season by getting out of the first round for the first time since 2004. Unfortunately for them, the Maple Leafs couldn’t make it any further than that.
Toronto has a star-studded roster, finishing fourth during the regular season last year. Toronto also made some key acquisitions and brought in Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, John Klingberg, and Ryan Reaves.
It is time for this team to take the next step and it could be Toronto’s last run with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander all together.
Edmonton Oilers +1000
Whenever you have Connor McDavid on your team, you’ll always have a chance. The Edmonton Oilers had a great regular season last year and finished with 109 points. Edmonton made it to the second round before falling to the eventual champions.
This squad has one of the most explosive offenses in the league and it will always keep Edmonton in games. The Oilers added Connor Brown, who played with McDavid in juniors. Brown could be a huge piece for Edmonton.
Other than the addition of Brown, the Oilers’ roster is very similar to last year — they’re just hoping they’ll be able to put it together come playoff time next season.
Colorado Avalanche +1000
Coming off a championship, the Colorado Avalanche took a bit of a step back last year, but still managed to finish with over 100 points last season, despite dealing with some serious injuries.
The Avalanche now seems poised for another big run and added Ryan Johansen, Ross Colton, Miles Wood, and Johnathan Drouin. This team has stars in Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen, and they should lead the way for another big season in Denver.
Other Teams Stanley Cup Odds:
Vegas Golden Knights: +1200
New York Rangers: +1300
Dallas Stars: +1400
Boston Bruins: +1600
Florida Panthers: +1600
*All odds from DraftKings Sportsbook
Photo credit: Shutterstock
