Every NHL Team's Odds of Winning the Stanley Cup in 2015
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Each year, NHL teams are faced with a countless number of obstacles that determine their odds of winning the Stanley Cup. In this piece, I briefly explain every team's assets, struggles or failures as I count down from the worst to the best in the league. Here is every NHL team's odds of hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2015.
Note: Mathematical odds credited to Vegas Insider.
30. Buffalo Sabres: 100/1
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30. Buffalo Sabres: 100/1
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The Sabres are in rough shape. The only realistic chance the Sabres have at winning the Stanley Cup is if the rest of the league disintegrates into thin air.
29. Calgary Flames: 100/1
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29. Calgary Flames: 100/1
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The Flames lost their lead goal scorer Mike Cammalleri through free agency and were not able to sign anyone to match his points production. The Flames still have a lot of work to do in the midst of their rebuild, so their chances of making it to the playoffs this season are slim to none.
28. Nashville Predators: 100/1
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28. Nashville Predators: 100/1
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The Predators made some big moves this offseason, like shipping Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling to Pittsburgh in exchange for James Neal. Neal will add some scoring power, but the middling Predators will be battling teams like the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars. The Predators' regular season run will be taxing.
27. New York Islanders: 80/1
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27. New York Islanders: 80/1
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The Islanders' lack a significant group of blueliners and without a solid group of defensemen, you might as well kiss your chances at winning the cup good-bye.
26. Florida Panthers: 80/1
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26. Florida Panthers: 80/1
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The Panthers acquired a colorful group of players during free agency and will be heading into the season with a new coach (Gerard Gallant). I have stated before that I believe the Panthers have a chance at reaching the playoffs, but they need to take advantage of all these fantastic offseason changes in every way possible.
25. Carolina Hurricanes: 80/1
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25. Carolina Hurricanes: 80/1
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The Hurricanes will be going into the 2014-15 season with a new general manager (Ron Francis) and head coach (Bill Peters). These changes should help the team, but they need to add depth to their offense and upgrade their blueliners if they want a shot at the cup anytime soon.
24. Winnipeg Jets: 65/1
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24. Winnipeg Jets: 65/1
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With Ondrej Pavelec's .901 save percentage, the Jets might as well replace Pavelec with a cardboard cutout. The Jets have a decent ensemble of players, but they are not going to get very far with Pavelec's below average SV percentage.
23. Ottawa Senators: 65/1
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23. Ottawa Senators: 65/1
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The Senators lost their captain Jason Spezza and right winger Ales Hemsky during the offseason. This will prove to be a huge blow to the Senators' offense and hinder their chances of making it to the playoffs.
22. Edmonton Oilers: 65/1
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22. Edmonton Oilers: 65/1
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Goaltending and defense are the biggest issues for the Oilers right now. The OIlers won't make it to the playoffs this season, but If they improve in these areas, fans could see a postseason run a lot sooner than they imagined.
21. New Jersey Devils: 65/1
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21. New Jersey Devils: 65/1
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The Devils possess a grab bag group of players. Unfortunately, none of those players can stay consistent when it comes to scoring — which is New Jersey's biggest weakness.
20. Arizona Coyotes: 65/1
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20. Arizona Coyotes: 65/1
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The Coyotes have the capability to make it to the playoffs, but they are stuck in the Western Conference with teams like the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks, who will undoubtedly earn a spot in the playoffs.
19. Vancouver Canucks: 55/1
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19. Vancouver Canucks: 55/1
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Head coach Willie Desjardins will be an upgrade from John Tortorella, but the Canucks face a predicament with three mediocre goaltenders on their roster. Ryan Miller will be the Canucks' go-to netminder, but Miller only has an average .915 SV percentage. That's an underwhelming number for a team trying to make it to the playoffs. The Canucks have an important decision to make, as they decide which goaltender will be the best backup for Miller.
18. Washington Capitals: 45/1
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18. Washington Capitals: 45/1
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The Capitals missed their shot at the playoffs last season and their lineup took a huge hit this summer with the departures of Mikhail Grabovski, Dustin Penner and Jaroslav Halak. The Capitals acquired defensemen Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik through free agency, but Niskanen is the only promising player out of the two. The changes the Capitals have endured this offseason will prove to be detrimental to the team.
17. Toronto Maple Leafs: 45/1
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17. Toronto Maple Leafs: 45/1
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The moves the Maple Leafs have made this offseason will prove to be a wash. They will most likely be in the same spot as they were in last season, which means head coach Randy Carlyle will probably get canned. But hey, a new coach is what fans in Toronto have been waiting for.
16. Columbus Blue Jackets: 45/1
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16. Columbus Blue Jackets: 45/1
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After making it to the playoffs last season for only the second time in franchise history, the Blue Jackets will be aiming to prove themselves as serious contenders again. The Blue Jackets have an adequate group of players, but they failed to make any valuable changes this offseason which will end up hurting them in the long run.
15. Philadelphia Flyers: 30/1
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15. Philadelphia Flyers: 30/1
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The Flyers have been cursed with a questionable netminder yet again. The Flyers have the potential to make it to the playoffs, just as they did last season, but with Steve Mason in the net, they have a razor-thin chance at hoisting the Cup.
14. Dallas Stars: 28/1
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14. Dallas Stars: 28/1
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With the additions of Jason Spezza and Ales Hemsky to an already well-rounded team, the Stars will most likely make it to the playoffs again this season. One of the biggest issues for the Stars, however, is the rest of the competition they'll be facing in the West.
13. Minnesota Wild: 22/1
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13. Minnesota Wild: 22/1
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The Wild will make it to the playoffs, but if key players are bit by the injury bug again, their postseason run will be cut short.
12. Detroit Red Wings: 22/1
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12. Detroit Red Wings: 22/1
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When the Red Wings hit the ice this season, they will seem frighteningly familiar. That is because the Red Wings failed to sign any new players since the start of free agency. They are in need of a top-four defenseman and if they could obtain one, their odds of winning the cup would increase drastically.
11. Tampa Bay Lightning: 18/1
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11. Tampa Bay Lightning: 18/1
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Between Steven Stamkos and a long list of talented rookies, the Lightning have a lot of power in their lineup. Expect them to make the playoffs for a second year in a row.
10. New York Rangers: 18/1
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10. New York Rangers: 18/1
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The Rangers conquered the Flyers, Penguins and Canadiens in the playoffs last season. Ultimately, they lost to the Kings in the Stanley Cup Final, but they have a strong chance at repeating a successful regular season and finding themselves in the playoffs once more.
9. Montreal Canadiens: 18/1
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9. Montreal Canadiens: 18/1
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Overall, the Canadiens are an exceptional team. Defensemen P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov will be pivotal parts at securing a spot in the playoffs, as well as the Canadiens' skillful netminder Carey Price.
8. Colorado Avalanche: 18/1
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8. Colorado Avalanche: 18/1
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In just one season, the Avalanche went from being nobodies to placing first in the Central division. The Avalanche will be Stanley Cup contenders again this season, but they need to upgrade their defense if they want to get their hands on the Cup.
7. San Jose Sharks: 14/1
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7. San Jose Sharks: 14/1
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The Sharks have the capacity to be Stanley Cup champions but they can't keep it together in the playoffs. They declined to upgrade their blueline which could set them back this season.
6. St. Louis Blues: 12/1
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6. St. Louis Blues: 12/1
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The Blues have a sound lineup, but their power play unit could hamper them in the long run. The Blues must find a way to deliver their stellar regular season performance to the playoffs, as they have had problems with that in the past.
5. Pittsburgh Penguins: 12/1
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5. Pittsburgh Penguins: 12/1
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The Penguins are talented group of players, but they have wrestled with coaching, unevenness in their lineup and a netminder who forgets how to tend goal whenever the postseason rolls around. Since the end of the 2013-14 season, the Penguins have hired a new coach (Mike Johnston) and revamped their lineup thanks to the Penguins' new general manager (Jim Rutherford). These changes should help the Penguins.
4. Anaheim Ducks: 12/1
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4. Anaheim Ducks: 12/1
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During the offseason, the Ducks traded Nick Bonino and Luca Sbisa to the Vancouver Canucks for Ryan Kesler. Kesler will pack a punch to an already well-established offense. If teams in the West were not intimidated by the Ducks before, they should be now.
3. Los Angeles Kings: 8/1
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3. Los Angeles Kings: 8/1
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The Kings kept rather quiet this offseason. After bringing the Stanley Cup back to Los Angeles twice in the past three years, it would seem kind of silly to tinker with their lineup.
If it isn't broke, don't fix it.
2. Chicago Blackhawks: 8/1
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2. Chicago Blackhawks: 8/1
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The Blackhawks recently won the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2013 and were just one game away last season from defeating the Kings and reaching the Stanley Cup Final. The Blackhawks are a fierce, talented team who remain a lingering threat in the East.
1. Boston Bruins: 8/1
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1. Boston Bruins: 8/1
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The beasts in the East possess the greatest goaltender in the league with an outstanding group of forwards and blueliners. The Bruins are a determined group of players who mesh well together and it should come as no surprise if the Bruins come out on top next year.
Amanda Sklarek is a Pittsburgh Penguins/NHL writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandabukowski, “Like” her on Facebook or add her to your network on Google.
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