by
The new NHL season kicks off proceedings on October 7, which gives us bettors plenty of time to place wagers on the top NHL futures. This article focuses on the Conference championship battles, which have been dominated recently by the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers. Can Carolina finally break through in the East, and who’s the real favorite in the West? Continue reading to access expert 2025 NHL futures picks and access stats and tips to make your best NHL future bets.
- 2025-26 NHL regular season
- 32 teams compete in two geographical conferences and four divisions
- Across the United States and Canada
- ESPN+, ABC, and local networks
NHL Futures: Conference Betting Odds
The Florida Panthers lead the shortlist of candidates for the Eastern Conference crown. If Florida pulls off a 4th-straight conference championship, bettors can enjoy a (+300) payout across top online sportsbooks. The Carolina Hurricanes follow at (+390), along with Tampa Bay (+650), New Jersey (+900), and Toronto (+900).
The Western Conference is much more wide open. Back-to-back West champs Edmonton face stiff competition with the Vegas Golden Knights, tied at (+425) on the odds board. Colorado (+450) and Dallas (+475) are right up there as well.
NHL
Eastern Conference BetOnline BetUS Bovada Florida Panthers +300 +300 +300 Carolina Hurricanes +375 +375 +390 Tampa Bay Lightning +650 +650 +575 New Jersey Devils +800 +900 +800 Toronto Maple Leafs +900 +900 +800 New York Rangers +1400 +1400 +1700 Ottawa Senators +1400 +1600 +1700 Washington Capitals +1400 +1400 +1500 Western Conference Vegas Golden Knights +400 +400 +425 Edmonton Oilers +425 +425 +425 Colorado Avalanche +450 +450 +450 Dallas Stars +475 +475 +450 Los Angeles Kings +1000 +1000 +1000 Winnipeg Jets +1100 +1200 +1200 Minnesota Wild +1600 +1800 +2000 Utah Mammoth +1600 +2000 +2000
Want to better understand online NHL betting? Learn how to bet on NHL online with our guide.
Florida Panthers Backed to Repeat Eastern Conference Title
The reigning champions are unsurprisingly the favorite to win the East yet again. Florida managed to retain the vast majority of their regular players over the offseason and enter 2025-26 as optimistic as ever. The Panthers re-signed Brad Marchand to a six(!)-year deal after acquiring him at the deadline last year. The club also somehow held onto unrestricted free agents Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad, with the three combining for a cap hit of under $20 million.
Most teams go through significant roster turnover following a Cup-winning season, but Florida has made a habit of hoisting trophies and running it back. Another team that excelled in the off-months is Carolina, who bettors will find right near the top of Eastern Conference odds. The Hurricanes nabbed former Winnipeg winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who should slide right into the top line. The ‘Canes also picked up top-four defenseman K’Andre Miller after losing a few of their own blueliners.
So who deserves your hard-earned money? One team not yet mentioned is the Tampa Bay Lightning. After dominating the late 2010s, Tampa Bay has maintained a strong presence in the East but has faltered in the playoffs. First-round exits have been their demise for three successive seasons, with the last two against the future champions Florida. While the core of their crew is aging, odds of (+650) are hard to look past.
Who Can Steal Wide-Open West?
While the East can be reduced to just a couple teams as true favorites, the Western Conference feels completely wide open. Four teams are separated at the top by just a few cents. Vegas, Dallas, Colorado and Edmonton are all (+425) or better to make the Stanley Cup Final.
Edmonton is likely the favorite in the eyes of the public, who have witnessed the Oilers repeat as Western Conference champions in 2024-25. But Dallas and Vegas continuously show they have the depth and poise to make a Stanley Cup push any given season. Dallas recently made a change on the bench with Glen Gulutzan replacing Peter DeBoer. Meanwhile, Vegas scooped up elite forward Mitch Marner from Toronto in a sign-and-trade.
There’s no clear favorite in the West, so your guess is as good as mine.
Other NHL Futures Bets to Consider in 2025-26
The Kings finished second in the Pacific Division last season and have felt competitive for many years. But after another first-round exit, the hockey club parted ways with GM Rob Blake. Ken Holland replaces the former manager and has already made some key moves. Holland picked up wingers Joel Armia and Corey Perry, but it was changes to the blueline that were the most radical.
Signings of defensemen Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin signal a changing of the guard at the back. The moves were made in response to losing Vladislav Gavrikov, arguably their most important player with 23 minutes of ice time on average. It’s gonna be difficult to deal with his absence, but the Kings were one of the best teams in the West last year.
My Pythagorean expectation analysis suggests Los Angeles was the best team in the Pacific Division in 2024-25. At odds of (+400), I like the value on the Kings to take the Pacific crown this year.
Another team undeservedly falling deep in the rankings is the Winnipeg Jets. Last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winner is a whopping (+500) to win the Central Division. Some of that skepticism is warranted: Winnipeg picked up Jonathan Toews to center their second line, a big risk considering Toews has been out of the league for two years. It doesn’t help that Ehlers left, as I mentioned earlier.
But Winnipeg replaced some of their losses with the acquisitions of Gustav Nyquist and Tanner Pearson, leaving me to hold out some hope Winnipeg can replicate their successes again. Even discounting the Jets for a rough offseason, it’s hard to get to a line as wide as (+500) for the defending Central champs. Keep in mind, it was the league’s best defense that Winnipeg boasted last year, and that shouldn’t change.
Odds are accurate at time of writing but subject to change.
Top Sportsbooks to Make Best NHL Future Bets
Explore some of the best hockey betting sites below. Each website is reviewed by My Top Sportsbooks for user experience, customer service, new member promos, and more.
Sports Betting Sites 