Despite a roster anchored by Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider, oddsmakers cite Dylan Larkin’s trade request and late-season instability as reasons for Detroit’s surprising slide down the boards.
The Carolina Hurricanes have barely had time to pop the champagne and the sportsbooks are already moving on, posting their early Stanley Cup odds for the 2026-27 season. As always with early markets, there are some numbers that make sense and others that are going to raise a few eyebrows around the league.
Leading the way is the Colorado Avalanche, who open as the outright favorites at +700. The Hurricanes sit right behind them at +750, giving Carolina a realistic shot at becoming the fourth back-to-back Stanley Cup champions since 2016. The Vegas Golden Knights, who fell short in the Final this spring, are listed at +1000 as they look to rebound and finish the job next time around.
At the other end of the board, the Vancouver Canucks find themselves at the very back of the pack at +50000, with the Calgary Flames just ahead of them at +30000. Both franchises have considerable ground to cover before anyone seriously considers them legitimate contenders.
The Detroit Red Wings open at +6600, a number that raises questions when you consider they were among the better teams in the league before a late-season collapse knocked them completely out of playoff contention.
This places them behind surprising teams that finished worst than the Red Wings last season like the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks and tied with the New York Islanders. The odds feel like they are pricing in the uncertainty surrounding the franchise rather than the talent on the roster, and that uncertainty is real and significant.
Hanging over Detroit heading into the offseason is the trade request from captain Dylan Larkin and how the organization will choose to handle it. If the Red Wings make substantial additions in an effort to convince Larkin to stay, the team could look dramatically different and considerably more dangerous by training camp. If they move him, they figure to receive a sizeable return in assets that could accelerate the rebuild or restock the core depending on the direction Larkin's replacement takes the team.
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Beyond the Larkin situation, Detroit enters the offseason with legitimate foundational pieces already in place. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider represent two of the better young players at their respective positions in the league, and Justin Faulk provides experienced veteran presence on the back end. Perhaps equally compelling is the collection of players entering contract years, a group that includes Alex DeBrincat, Andrew Copp and goaltender John Gibson.
Players with something to prove in a contract year have a way of elevating their games, and if that group collectively steps up, Detroit could be a much more dangerous team than the current odds suggest.
If general manager Steve Yzerman makes the right moves this summer, whether that means keeping Larkin or maximizing his return, Detroit's true cup odds may look very different from what the sportsbooks are currently offering and might be the most interesting number on the entire board.
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