Which NHL Team Will Win the Stanley Cup in 2023?

The end of the season is here, and the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us. While the Boston Bruins enter as a heavy favorite after a historic season, the field is filled with teams that could hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup. 

We’ve gone through this year’s field and established our favorite to win, along with our top dark horse. We’ll share the best odds for each and suggest the best bets to help give your Stanley Cup betting a boost.

Here are a few of our favorite bets to win this year’s Stanley Cup.

The Favorite: Boston Bruins (+330 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

The Bruins dominated the league throughout the season and finished with an NHL record 135 points. That earned them the President’s trophy and the top overall seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Bruins have been led by one of the best lineups in history, along with fantastic seasons from right wing David Pastrnak and goalie Linus Ullmark. Pastrnak led finished third in the NHL in points (113) and second in goals (61), while Ullmark led the league in wins (40), save percentage (.938), and goals against average (1.89 GA/G).

The Bruins are the safest bet to win the Stanley Cup. The odds aren’t as favorable, but they have been the best team all season. Boston also enters the postseason with momentum after winning 15 of their last 16 games. With a deep roster and plenty of veteran leadership, it would be shocking to see Boston lose in the postseason.

The Best of the West: Colorado Avalanche (+700 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

For most of this season, the reigning Stanley Cup Champions have not looked the part. They struggled to replace several key players in the offseason but found their groove to close 2023. Since March 9, the Avs have won 16 of their final 19 games of the season. That vaulted the former champs to the second seed in the West and has them primed to repeat their championship run.

The biggest reason we like the Avs to win the West is the play of Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Both players finished with over 100 points on the season and joined Cal Makar to form an elite top three. Their experience from last season will provide a considerable advantage, especially against a shaky one-seed in the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Dark Horse: New York Rangers (+1200 Caesars Sportsbook)

If you want a bet with more value, we love the New York Rangers. They lost in last season’s Eastern Conference finals but have only improved since. They have one of the best goalies in the league in Igor Shesterkin (37-13-8, 2.48 GA/G) and one of the top offensive duos in the East in Artemi Panarin (92 points) and Mika Zibanejad (91 points). The Rangers also added critical pieces via trade in Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko, both of whom are solid scorers. Combine that with one of the best defensemen in the NHL in Adam Fox, and you have a recipe for a Stanley Cup Champion.

New York did not beat Boston this season, but they have the talent to provide a substantial challenge. They will have their work cut out for them, but at +1200, it’s hard not to take a shot on the Rangers.