The battle to win the 2023/24 Stanley Cup looks set to be one of the closest in years, with several teams in with a genuine chance of lifting the prestigious trophy.
Online sportsbook Betway highlight the close nature of the upcoming season, with several teams in the race for this seasons Stanley Cup title.
With that in mind, we have scoured the ante-post market to identify four teams who could be in contention to claim Stanley Cup glory at the end of the campaign.
Edmonton Oilers
A 16-game winning streak fired the Edmonton Oilers to the top of the Stanley Cup betting, but it would be unwise to get too carried away about their chances.
They have one of the strongest rosters in the NHL on paper, headlined by star forwards Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman.
They are generally defensively sound, although a recent 6-3 defeat against the St Louis Blues suggests there is still room for improvement.
The Oilers have kept finding ways not to win the Stanley Cup in recent years – the feeling persists that the same fate will befall them this season.
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins have been the bookmakers’ favourites for most of the season, but a recent dip in form has cast doubt over the ability to go the distance.
They last reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2018/19, where they were beaten in seven games by the Blues. Since then, they have suffered early exits in the play-offs.
The Bruins are a formidable force when everything clicks into gear, but their inability to mix it with physical teams will likely hinder their hopes of winning the title.
Addressing key holes in their roster before the trade deadline will be crucial to their chances, but salary cap limitations may prevent them from acquiring the players they need.
New York Rangers
You have to go back to the 1993-94 season to find the last time the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup, but they are in contention to snap that streak this season.
Rumours of a pre-deadline move for Seattle Kraken forward Alex Wennberg highlight that the Rangers are serious about mounting a serious challenge.
Wennberg would be a big upgrade on the Rangers’ current third-line options and would provide much-needed improvement to the second powerplay unit.
If the Rangers can add the Swedish forward to their roster, they would significantly improve their chances of being crowned NHL champions.
Colorado Avalanche
If one team epitomises the ridiculously inconsistent nature of the Stanley Cup betting market, it is the Colorado Avalanche.
Some bookies rate them as joint-favourites alongside the Oilers, while others predict they will not make it to the Western Conference Finals.
However, given their exceptional home form and stacked roster, it would be a brave move to back against Colorado winning the Stanley Cup this season.
Odds of around 11/1 represent excellent each-way value and could deliver a tasty winning return to NHL punters at the end of the campaign.
