All posts by Ben Fawkes

2025-26 Stanley Cup odds: Oilers — not two-time defending champion Panthers — are favorites to win next year's Stanley Cup

The Florida Panthers just won their second consecutive Stanley Cup Final, but the odds are already live at sportsbooks for which team will hoist the Cup next year. 

The Panthers won 5-1 on Tuesday night in Game 6 against the Edmonton Oilers in a Stanley Cup rematch, but the Oilers are actually the early +650 favorites at BetMGM to win it all next season.

Florida has the next-best odds at +750, as the team looks to return to the finals for the fourth straight season and win its third straight title. The Panthers lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023.

The Colorado Avalanche (+800), Dallas Stars (+850) and Carolina Hurricanes (+900) are the other teams with better than 10-1 odds.

There isn't a consensus favorite among sportsbooks for next season, as some books have the Oilers as slight favorites, while others have the Hurricanes favored and some have a three-way tie atop the odds board between Edmonton, Colorado and Florida.

The Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks have the longest odds to win next year's Stanley Cup at 500-1 odds at BetMGM.

Stanley Cup Final 2025: Oilers vs. Panthers prediction, odds, best bets for Game 1, series

The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers will face off in the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive season, beginning Wednesday night (8 p.m. ET, TNT). The Panthers won last year's Stanley Cup in seven games, but enter this year's series as slight underdogs (+105 at BetMGM), while the Oilers are -125 favorites. 

The Oilers are -130 home favorites at BetMGM in Game 1, with the Panthers as +110 underdogs with a game total of six goals.

Yahoo Sports asked handicapper Josh Inglis about a few of his best bets for the Stanley Cup Final:

Inglis: "I like the Panthers in the series at -110 or better, but I’ll take the Game 1 price here at +115. I’m not worried too much about home-ice advantage in this series as Florida has been lights out on the road in the playoffs, and the Panthers have been -160, -180 and -125 series favorites in each series where they were the road team.

"This is the much deeper lineup, and the longer the playoffs go, Edmonton’s depth will be exposed. Florida is still tough to match up against on the road as its third line has possibly been its best line in the playoffs."

Best bets: Panthers Game 1 ML +115, Panthers to win series +105

Inglis: "Evan Rodrigues is still undervalued in the prop market, which is spilling over into his series point markets. The winger is playing on the top line for the Panthers and the first power play. He should be -150 or shorter for a point but is priced at around +100 to get one in Game 1.

"In the previous round, he tied for the team lead in points with seven. He averaged almost 18 minutes per game vs. the Hurricanes and is showing finish, as well as some play-making ability [six assists].

"I think Alex Barkov is the best bet for the Conn Smythe at +600 and that means Rodrigues is tagging along as he will play his 5-on-5 and power-play shifts all with the elite center. Even if this series is a sweep, this plus-money prop has legs."

Best bet: Evan Rodrigues to record five points in the series +210

2025 Stanley Cup Final odds: Edmonton Oilers open as favorites against Florida Panthers

DALLAS, TEXAS - MAY 29: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates with Mattias Ekholm #14 and Corey Perry #90 after scoring a goal against Casey DeSmith #1 of the Dallas Stars during the second period in Game Five of the Western Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center on May 29, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Oilers' Connor McDavid (C) celebrates with Mattias Ekholm (L) and Corey Perry after scoring a goal during the second period in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals at American Airlines Center on May 29, 2025 in Dallas. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Steph Chambers via Getty Images

The Florida Panthers are looking to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, but to do so they'll have to beat a familiar foe — who is a slight favorite.

The Edmonton Oilers and Panthers faced off in last year's Stanley Cup Final, and the Panthers won the series with a hard-fought 2-1 victory in Game 7. Florida entered as a -140 favorite over Edmonton last year.

This season, the margin entering the series between the two teams is even smaller, as BetMGM opened the Oilers as -115 favorites and the Panthers at -105.

Edmonton defeated the Los Angeles Kings in the first round in six games, the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round in five games and the Dallas Stars in the conference finals in five games. Oilers superstar Connor McDavid is searching for his first Stanley Cup.

Florida beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in the opening round, the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games in Round 2 and the Carolina Hurricanes in five games in the conference finals.

Game 1 will be at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday on TNT.