Which NHL Team That Has Never Won The Stanley Cup Has The Best Chance?

By Gary Pearson, BetMGM

Of the NHL's 32 teams, 10 haven't won a Stanley Cup. 

The unenviable list includes two teams, the Buffalo Sabres and the Vancouver Canucks, both founded in 1970. 

My deepest and sincerest sympathies go out to anyone who is a fan of those teams. The Canucks will almost certainly extend their streak to 56 years, while the Sabres battle to make the playoffs and give themselves a fighting chance. 

According to the +900 hockey odds at BetMGM, those 10 teams have a combined 10 percent chance of defying the odds. 

So, which of those on the inglorious list are the most likely to hoist the Cup this season?

Wouldn't it be something if Macklin Celebrini led the San Jose Sharks to the Stanley Cup in his sophomore season? 

The Hart Trophy contender has to first propel his team to the playoffs, which would also represent a feat most didn't believe feasible before the season started. San Jose's +150 odds to make the post-season carry a 40 percent implied probability. 

That's 39.6 percentage points higher than their implied probability to win the Stanley Cup, which stands at a measly 0.4 percent. 

What I'm trying to say is that if Celebrini leads the Sharks to the Promised Land, the NHL powers that be would embark on a series of rigorous tests to ensure the 19-year-old is indeed human.

While Utah is also faced with a mammoth task, Andre Tourigny's collective is the third-most likely of the non-winners to sip from the Stanley Cup. Prior to the Mammoth's existence, the Arizona Coyotes failed to win a Cup in their 28 years. 

Utah has displayed a penchant for getting hot, which, in theory, could bode well if the team makes the playoffs. 

Before games on Jan. 27, the Mammoth have the best points percentage (.850) in the last 10 games, tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Red Wings. 

They recently had a five-game winning streak ended by the Lightning and enjoyed a seven-game winning run at the start of the season. The Mammoth have Stanley Cup odds of +5500, accompanying a 1.79 percent likelihood. 

Your eyes don't deceive you. The Sabres are second on the list to finally bring unadulterated joy to the city and accomplish what the Buffalo Bills could not. 

Not only are the Sabres the second-best team on home ice, as their 16-6-3 record at KeyBank Center reflects, but they also boast the league's top record since Dec. 9 (18-3-1). 

So remarkable is their current run that Lindy Ruff's men have the 11th-shortest Stanley Cup odds (+5000). Don't get too giddy, though, as those +5000 odds translate to a 1.96 percent probability. 

That said, the Sabres have a 73.33 percent chance of qualifying for the post-season for the first time since 2011. If they complete the job, that alone would be deserving of confetti, party poppers and an unlimited supply of the finest bubbles.

Despite a downturn that has seen them win just five of the previous 13 games, the Minnesota Wild have the best chance of winning the Stanley Cup for the first time. 

The Wild's +1800 Stanley Cup odds accompany a 5.26 percent chance. They built up a ton of good faith during an almost two-month hot streak in November and December. Since then, the Wild's once-vaunted defense has allowed 3.59 goals per game, eighth most since Dec. 21. 

For the Wild to embark on a Stanley Cup-winning run, at least one or both of their netminders, Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt, must return to their once near-unbeatable form. At least Kirill Kaprizov is hot, though. That counts for something.