Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Oddsmaker: ‘Hawks, Rangers very early 2016 Cup favorites

cD05ODdlNmNhY2MwMjRlZWQzNTJhM2ViYTQ1Y2VlY2YzOCZnPTZjNmU3MTNmYjk2NDExNzc2M2ZiZGMzNjZiNWMxODBi

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 18: Marc Staal #18 of the New York Rangers battles for the puck along the boards against Marian Hossa #81 of the Chicago Blackhawks at Madison Square Garden on March 18, 2015 in New York City. The Chicago Blackhawks won 1-0. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)

Jared Silber

The 2015 playoffs are officially in the books and it didn’t take long before the focus started to shift to the 2015-16 campaign. Online bookmaker Bovada released its odds and they’re putting the chances of the Blackhawks winning their fourth Stanley Cup in seven years at 7/1.

It goes without saying that it’s always hard to successfully defend a Stanley Cup championship, but Chicago’s task will be particularly daunting as it will have to navigate some rough waters this summer. With Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews matching eight-year, $84 million contracts set to kick in, the Blackhawks have about $64 million committed to 14 players for 2015-16, per General Fanager.

After reaching at least the Conference Final in three of the last four years, the New York Rangers ranked second with 8/1 odds. The Anaheim Ducks, which took Chicago to seven games in the Western Conference Final, are third at 10/1. The St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning rounded out the top five with matching 12/1 odds.

At the bottom of the pack are the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, and Arizona Coyotes at 100/1.

Here’s how all 30 teams stack up:
Chicago Blackhawks 7/1
New York Rangers 8/1
Anaheim Ducks 10/1
St. Louis Blues 12/1
Tampa Bay Lightning 12/1
Los Angeles Kings 14/1
Minnesota Wild 14/1
Montreal Canadiens 14/1
Pittsburgh Penguins 14/1
Boston Bruins 16/1
Nashville Predators 16/1
Washington Capitals 18/1
New York Islanders 22/1
Winnipeg Jets 25/1
Columbus Blue Jackets 33/1
Detroit Red Wings 33/1
Edmonton Oilers 33/1
Calgary Flames 40/1
San Jose Sharks 40/1
Vancouver Canucks 40/1
Ottawa Senators 50/1
Colorado Avalanche 66/1
Dallas Stars 66/1
New Jersey Devils 66/1
Philadelphia Flyers 66/1
Toronto Maple Leafs 66/1
Florida Panthers 75/1
Buffalo Sabres 100/1
Carolina Hurricanes 100/1
Arizona Coyotes 100/1

Follow @RyanDadoun