Tonight’s the night. The NHL regular season ends after tonight’s seven-game slate, which means the NHL playoffs are nearing. The postseason begins on Saturday, Apr. 19 with both the Blues and Jets facing off at 6:00 p.m. ET and the Stars and Avalanche filling the next time slot at 8:30 p.m. ET.
The NHL playoffs have always been very underrated compared to other professional sports. Still, the competition this year feels extra exciting as no one team stands too far ahead of the rest. With all 16 playoff teams accounted for, let’s take a look at the 2025 Stanley Cup odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.
2025 NHL Stanley Cup Odds
As I alluded to above, the competition at the top is as good as it gets.
It’s a bit odd to see the Stars (+700) as current favorites to hoist the Stanley Cup given their recent skid and lack of defensive prowess without Miro Heiskanen, who may miss playoff games. It is especially interesting because Dallas is not even favored to win its first-round series against Colorado. The Avalanche (+800) share the second-shortest odds with the Panthers, the reigning Stanley Cup champions, and the Lightning, Oilers and Hurricanes are all tied at +900 odds, which rounds out the top six.
It’s a shame they Panthers and Lightning drew a first-round matchup because it would’ve made for quite the Eastern Conference Finals matchup. However, the Maple Leafs (+1200) are sneaky. They’ve posted an 18-6-2 record since Feb. 20, field a very potent offensive attack and have received stellar goaltending from Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz. We all know the big sign hanging above Toronto’s head but if its recent play bleeds into the postseason, buckle up.
This is where it gets real interesting. The 2023 Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights (+1000) may not have as many shiny toys as opposing Western Conference teams but their experience and ability to win games in different ways offers some intrigue. Plus, the last time they won the Pacific Division, they hoisted the Cup two months later. Both Washington and Winnipeg share +1100 odds and each has its own unique storylines entering the postseason. Does Alex Ovechkin have one more elite postseason left in him? Can Winnipeg be the squad to lift the Presidents’ Trophy curse that has haunted past winners for most of NHL history? It certainly doesn’t help the Jets’ case that they’re facing the Blues (+4000) in the first round. Since Feb. 20, St. Louis has posted a 19-4-3 record while averaging the most goals per game (3.81) and allowing the third-fewest goals per game (2.31).
The Kings (+2000) put together virtually the same season they have for the past four seasons. So much so, that they are set to face the Oilers in the first round for the fourth straight postseason. Perhaps this is the year they can finally get past Connor McDavid and the Oilers but given how their season ended last season, I have a feeling McDavid’s play will be otherworldly with revenge on his mind. Just sayin’.
We’ll briefly touch on the longshots, starting with the Senators (+3500) and Canadiens (+10000), two teams that have finally surpassed their rebuild eras. Ottawa is fundamentally sound at all levels and fields solid depth but hasn’t played postseason hockey since 2017. It’s similar for Montreal, too, who lost to Tampa Bay in the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals and then entered rebuild mode for four seasons. That leaves me with the Devils (+3000) and the Wild (+3500), two teams with big question marks. New Jersey will be without its superstar, Jack Hughes, which doesn’t bode well in a seemingly stacked Eastern Conference. Minnesota operated without its superstar, Kirill Kaprizov, for most of the back half of the season, and has lost its elite goaltending that secured many early-season wins.
