It’s never too early to start predicting which teams will meet in the Stanley Cup final. If you’re wondering, there are a bunch of prospective matchups that are about as likely to occur as being struck by lightning. A Buffalo Sabres vs. Calgary Flames Stanley Cup final is one such example, with a 0.01 percent probability. With that far-fetched notion taken under advisement, which are the more feasible possibilities at the quarter mark of the regular season? FLORIDA PANTHERS VS. COLORADO AVALANCHE (+1400) The Florida Panthers meeting the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup final is the most likely matchup. This prospective final has a 6.67 percent chance of happening. It shows the faith BetMGM oddsmakers have in the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions making it to a fourth consecutive Stanley Cup final despite being on the outside of the playoff picture. COLORADO AVALANCHE VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES (+1450) Oddsmakers give this prospect a 6.45 percent chance of coming to fruition. It would pit the league’s current best team and Stanley Cup odds [https://www.on.betmgm.ca/en/sports/hockey-12?utm_source=Display&utm_medium=Sports&utm_campaign=TMI-MGM-Sports-ON-Display-HockeyNews-ON&utm_term=&utm_content=&wm=7145925&wm=7145925&ben=&cid=&cn=TMI_MGM_ON__ACQ_DISP_17_HKY_web_PRO_DR_NA_CPC_N_TMI-MGM-Sports-ON-Display-HockeyNews_SAON___Y&po=SAON__&fec=on&pc=17&spc=HKY&pl=&tc=ACQ&mc=DISP&at=TMI&mt=PRO&obj=DR&tre=NA&buy=CPC&ska=N&aw=web&ty=Desktop&la=en&cre=&btag=&ol=Y&source_caller=ui&shortlink=4rkbpwij&af_sub1=7145925&c=TMI-MGM-Sports-ON-Display-HockeyNews&pid=QR_code&af_xp=custom] favorites against the Eastern Conference finalists from two of the previous three seasons. FLORIDA PANTHERS VS. EDMONTON OILERS (+2500) I doubt many people desire another Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers final. It would be the third time in three seasons that those teams battled for the Holy Grail. I cannot fathom the Oilers losing three Stanley Cup finals in a row to the same team. That unthinkable possibility, if it occurred, would mark the first time a team would lose three straight finals to the same foe, a remarkable prospect considering the NHL started with six teams. CAROLINA HURRICANES VS. DALLAS STARS (+3500) Two teams that seemingly can’t summit the final hurdle have a 2.78 percent chance of meeting in the dance. The Dallas Stars reached the Western Conference final in the previous three seasons, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights and the Oilers twice. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, fell to the Panthers in two of the previous three seasons, winning just one of nine games. OTTAWA SENATORS VS. EDMONTON OILERS (+10000) How about a whimsical thought to cap things off? The last all-Canadian Stanley Cup final occurred in 1989, when the Calgary Flames beat the Montreal Canadiens in six games. The Senators represent a solid dark horse pick. If Linus Ullmark can start resembling the form that won him a Vezina Trophy, anything is possible. In this case, it amounts to a 0.99 percent chance.
