Edmonton enters this season with a 12% chance at winning the Stanley Cup, according to MoneyPuck
Edmonton enters this season with a 12% chance at winning the Stanley Cup, according to MoneyPuck
It's not officially hockey season until you've got playoff odds to obsess over.
NHL analytics site MoneyPuck released its first batch of point projections for the 2024-25 season on Wednesday. For the second consecutive year, the Edmonton Oilers are the model's Stanley Cup favourites.
While last year's odds pegged the Oilers as co-favourites with the Carolina Hurricanes, this year they're alone atop the mountain. Their Stanley Cup odds have risen from 7.9% to 12% over the past year. The next-closest team is the Dallas Stars, at 9.8%.
As you'd expect, they also carry the highest point projection (108.6), playoff odds (93.9%), and by far the highest chance of winning their division (47.9%). After Edmonton and Dallas, the top five is rounded out by Florida (7.9%), Carolina (7.6%), and Colorado (7.6%).
Within the Pacific Division, the Vancouver Canucks are projected for 101.7 points (5.6% Stanley Cup odds), the Vegas Golden Knights are projected for 98.5 points (3.6%), and the Los Angeles Kings for 97.1 (3%).
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MoneyPuck isn't just going out on a limb, either. The Oilers enter the regular season as across-the-board Cup favourites, with Las Vegas giving them +850 odds. The next closest is the defending champion Florida Panthers, at +1000.
Of course, projections are just that: projections. Last year's Canucks were given a 47% chance at making the playoffs, compared to the Oilers' 87%. In the end, the Canucks finished five points ahead of the Oilers in the standings atop the Pacific Division.
Still, starting the season as such big favourites can only be a good thing for a team that's been in "Cup or bust" mode for the past few seasons.
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