The Carolina Hurricanes are Stanley Cup champions for the first time since 2006 after shutting out the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6 on Sunday night. With one season officially in the books, attention has already shifted to next year’s Stanley Cup race. BetMGM released its early odds for the 2027 championship, with the Colorado Avalanche opening as favorites at +700. [https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/nhl/stanley-cup-odds-nhl-betting-bm30/]The defending champion Carolina Hurricanes follow closely behind at +750, while the runner-up Vegas Golden Knights sit at +1000. The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers each enter at +1100, with the Tampa Bay Lightning not far behind at +1200. Despite four consecutive first-round exits, oddsmakers still view the Lightning as legitimate contenders heading into 2026-27. Following a relatively quiet summer a year ago, Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois is expected to explore every avenue to strengthen the roster and maximize the team’s championship window. High on the Lightning’s offseason to-do list is re-signing defenseman Darren Raddysh [https://www.nhl.com/lightning/player/darren-raddysh-8478178]. If Tampa Bay is unable to reach an agreement with the pending free agent, it would create a significant hole on the power play that would need to be filled this summer. The Lightning never truly found the right fit to replace Steven Stamkos’ trademark one-timer after he signed with the Nashville Predators. Raddysh’s right-handed shot added another layer to the man advantage, giving opponents an additional scoring threat to account for.
