Why have the Florida Panthers taken the lead in the Stanley Cup odds?
Yardbarker has followed the favourites to win the Stanley Cup in 2024 at sportsbooks like DraftKings during the NHL season. The favourites have mostly not changed: the Boston Bruins have alternated between first and second place, while other powerful teams like the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights also have short odds.
You can therefore imagine our surprise this week when we looked at the Stanley Cup odds and discovered that, drumroll please, DK’s new favourite is the Florida Panthers at +750 (15-2) odds.
Yes, the Panthers played in the Stanley Cup Final the previous year. Indeed, they have persisted in being a formidable opponent in the Eastern Conference. However,
Yes, the Panthers played in the Stanley Cup Final the previous year. Indeed, they have persisted in being a formidable opponent in the Eastern Conference. Now, though, who is the Stanley Cup favourite?
Here are some possible explanations for why Florida is the clear favourite to win the championship at DK.
A cursory look at the standings leads one to believe that Florida’s favourable odds are a result of the team’s recent play. The Panthers have gone 8-2-0, in part because of a six-game winning streak, while other favourites like the Bruins and the Avalanche have lost their last ten games (3-3-4 and 3-5-2, respectively).
Though they are listed at 13-1 at DK to win the Cup, the Toronto Maple Leafs have also gone 8-2-0 and are riding a seven-game winning streak. Therefore, it’s possible that Florida’s current form isn’t the reason it’s the favourite.
Is that the road record, perhaps? The Panthers, who are 20-8-2 away from Amerant Bank Arena this season, own the best away record in the NHL. The Carolina Hurricanes recently snapped their 11-game winning streak on the road. With the exception of games at Boston and Toronto, Florida’s remaining road trips this season are mostly against East Coast teams and look very winnable. There’s no doubting the Panthers’ favourable odds position will persist if they remain road warriors.
Florida’s goaltending tandem is probably one component of their game that makes them the current Cup favourites. Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz have been a formidable tandem this season, and the Panthers have surrendered the second-fewest goals this season at 140. The only team with fewer goals allowed (133) is the Winnipeg Jets, which is presumably why DK has yas a -250 favourite to win the Vezina Trophy. However, the Panthers are the favourites to win the Stanley Cup, and the Jets are ranked at +1400, so having more than one strong goalie may be helpful in that regard.
