The 2024-25 NHL regular season comes to a close on Thursday, April 17, and the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway on Saturday, April 19. The NHL Playoffs bracket has been set with the Winnipeg Jets earning the top overall seed in the league with 116 regular season points. The Washington Capitals, led by new all-time goals scored record holder Alex Ovechkin, earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference. With 2025 NHL Playoffs on tap, the odds to win the Stanley Cup have been set for each of the 16 remaining NHL teams at BetMGM.
SportsLine expert handicapper Jimmie Kaylor has broken down the latest betting trends and NHL futures odds from BetMGM and locked in his top picks to win the Stanley Cup, Eastern and Western Conferences, and the Conn Smyth Trophy.
In the 4 Nations Face-Off Final, Kaylor picked Nathan MacKinnon to be the first goal scorer and for the game to finish under 5.5 goals. The result: MacKinnon notched the game’s first goal for a 13-1 payout, and the game finished with a final score of 3-2 in Canada’s favor.
Recently, Kaylor also nailed a five-leg same-game parlay in the Avalanche vs. Red Wings game for a payout of almost 7-1.
Kaylor has had a chance to break down the latest NHL odds from BetMGM and has locked in his top futures bet for the Stanley Cup and NHL player awards.
2025 NHL Stanley Cup odds (at BetMGM)
| Current Odds | Opening Odds | |
| Montreal Canadiens | +8000 | +15000 |
| St. Louis Blues | +4000 | +4500 |
| New Jersey Devils | +4000 | +1300 |
| Minnesota Wild | +4000 | +4000 |
| Ottawa Senators | +3500 | +4000 |
| Los Angeles Kings | +2000 | +2200 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +1200 | +1600 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +1100 | +2000 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +1000 | +2200 |
| Washington Capitals | +950 | +10000 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +850 | +1200 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +850 | +1000 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +800 | +1100 |
| Colorado Avalanche | +775 | +1000 |
| Florida Panthers | +750 | +900 |
| Dallas Stars | +750 | +1000 |
Highest Ticket %:
- Avalanche 10.4%
- Knights 8.3%
- Maple Leafs 8.2%
Highest Handle %:
- Avalanche 11.0%
- Jets 10.6%
- Hurricanes 10.0%
Biggest Liabilities:
The Stanley Cup odds at BetMGM paint a pretty clear picture: The Panthers and Hurricanes are the top two teams in the Eastern Conference, while the Western Conference is wide open with the Stars, Avalanche, Oilers, and Knights all viewed as legitimate contenders.
It doesn’t seem right that teams as strong as the Stars and Avalanche have to play in the first round, as both teams are fully capable of going on a championship run. In my opinion, the winner of the Colorado-Dallas series will represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup final.
In the Eastern Conference, the Panthers look like the team to beat.
Best Bet: Colorado Avalanche +775
2025 NHL Playoff odds to win the Eastern Conference (at BetMGM)
| Current Odds | Opening Odds | |
| Montreal Canadiens | +4000 | +10000 |
| Ottawa Senators | +1600 | +2000 |
| New Jersey Devils | +1600 | +625 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +575 | +800 |
| Washington Capitals | +450 | +9000 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +400 | +1000 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +350 | +525 |
| Florida Panthers | +340 | +500 |
- Favorite: Panthers +340
- Highest Ticket Percentage: Capitals 16.8%
- Highest Handle Percentage: Hurricanes 38.1%
- Biggest Liability: Red Wings
I don’t love the value here for the Hurricanes (+350) or the Panthers (+340). Nonetheless, Florida is my pick in the Eastern Conference. My sleeper pick here would be the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Best Bet: Panthers (+340)
Sleeper: Maple Leafs (+575)
2025 NHL Playoff odds to win the Western Conference (at BetMGM)
| Current Odds | Opening Odds | |
| Minnesota Wild | +2000 | +1600 |
| St. Louis Blues | +1800 | +2200 |
| Los Angeles Kings | +950 | +1000 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +525 | +1000 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +450 | +650 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +450 | +500 |
| Colorado Avalanche | +450 | +500 |
| Dallas Stars | +340 | +500 |
- Favorite: Stars +340
- Highest Ticket Percentage: Avalanche 16.9%
- Highest Handle Percentage: Jets 40.2%
- Biggest Liability: Blues
The Stars and Avalanche square off in a first round matchup that features arguably the two best teams in the Western Conference right now. The winner will instantly become the favorite to win the 2025 Stanley Cup. Colorado is my pick in that series, with Vegas looking like a potential sleeper.
Best Bet: Avalanche (+450)
Sleeper: Vegas Golden Knights (+450)
2025 NHL odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (at BetMGM)
| Current Odds | |
| Aleksander Barkov | +2500 |
| Jake Oettinger | +2500 |
| Leon Draisaitl | +2200 |
| Cale Makar | +2200 |
| Jack Eichel | +2000 |
| Connor Hellebuyck | +1500 |
| Nathan MacKinnon | +1400 |
| Connor McDavid | +1300 |
History would suggest that this award will go to the top player on the Stanley Cup-winning team. Last year, McDavid became only the sixth player ever to win the Conn Smythe while playing for a team that did not win the Stanley Cup. This year I expect the Smythe winner to also be a Stanley Cup champion — and my early prediction is that the eventual Stanley Cup champion will be the team that wins the Stars-Avalanche series.
The last time Colorado won the Stanley Cup, Makar took home the Conn Smythe. Nathan MacKinnon at 14-1 is enticing, but Makar at 22-1, the value is too good to pass up.
Best Bet: Makar +2200
Most likely Stanley Cup Final matchups (at BetMGM)
| Current Odds | |
| Hurricanes vs. Avalanche | +1600 |
| Hurricanes vs. Stars | +1600 |
| Panthers vs. Avalanche | +1600 |
| Panthers vs. Stars | +1600 |
The oddsmakers at BetMGM have established these four teams as the clear top contenders in each conference. As previously mentioned, I expect Colorado to win its first round series over the Stars and ultimately win the Western Conference championship. I also expect the Panthers to prevail in the Eastern Conference for the second straight year.
Best bet: Avalanche vs. Panthers (+1600)
Looking for more NHL Playoff picks?
SportsLine expert Matt Severance is on a 119-62 roll (+2440) on NHL picks. Visit SportsLine now to get all of his NHL picks.
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