2025 Stanley Cup Futures Odds: Stars, Panthers Benefit at Trade Deadline

Patrick Everson Sports Betting Expert

4 minute read

Stanley Cup futures odds for 2024-25 are getting a lot more interesting, with the calendar now into March. Coupled with the passing of the trade deadline, bettors are starting to pay more attention.

The Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers both made eye-catching deals. And they are now co-favorites in odds to win the Stanley Cup.

Here's everything you need to know about 2025 Stanley Cup odds: action, line movement and betting trends. Check back regularly for updates and use our BetMGM bonus code to get the most out of your action.

2025 Stanley Cup Futures Odds

Deadline Deals

Brad Marchand is no longer a Boston Bruin, in arguably the biggest deal ahead of the March 7 NHL trade deadline. ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported that the Florida Panthers acquired Marchand in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick.

That pick elevates to a 2028 first-round choice if certain conditions are met.

The move shows that Florida is serious about winning a second straight championship. Prior to the trade, the Panthers were already very much in the Stanley Cup odds mix, as the +800 third choice at BetMGM.

Now, Florida is the +600 co-favorite with the Dallas Stars, who also made a notable deal just ahead of the deadline. The Stars sent a bushel of future draft picks to Carolina in exchange for Mikko Rantanen, who just six weeks ago was traded from Colorado to the Hurricanes.

BetMGM subsequently moved Dallas from +900 to +600 with Florida.

"The Stars and Panthers were probably the two biggest winners on the day," BetMGM trading manager Christian Cipollini said. "While they were both already toward the top of the favorites list, they both became even bigger favorites."

The Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning also improved their lot in Stanley Cup championship odds. Colorado climbed from the +1300 eighth choice to the +900 fourth choice. Tampa Bay shortened from +1600 to +1200.

The Avs acquired center Charlie Coyle from the Bruins and defenseman Ryan Lindgren from the New York Rangers. The Lightning brought back Yanni Gourde in a deal with Seattle. Gourde helped Tampa claim back-to-back Cups in 2020 and 2021.

Sliding Out

Obviously, sellers at the deadline saw the most fallout in Stanley Cup odds. But that's why they were sellers in the first place. Boston was already +6000 to win the Cup ahead of the deadline and is now out to +30000 (300/1).

"The Bruins were the most notable, along with the Islanders and Flyers," Cipollini said.

New York was a distant +12500 pre-trade deadline and is now +20000 (200/1). Philadelphia was even further out of the picture at +30000 and is now +50000 (500/1).

One legit contender also slipped, albeit it just a bit in BetMGM's Stanley Cup championship odds.

"The Hurricanes moved down the board slightly after the Rantanen trade. But they did get a good player in return, so they do stay towards the top," Cipollini said.

That player in return is Logan Stankoven. Prior to the trade, the 'Canes were the +750 second choice, behind only the +575 favorite Edmonton Oilers. Carolina is now the +1100 fifth choice. For that matter, the Oilers dipped a bit, too, to the +650 third choice.

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Trending Teams

Cipollini pointed to one of the new favorites as a team getting bettors attention of late in Stanley Cup odds.

"The Stars are a team that we've taken a lot of bets on, stemming from buzz around them before the deadline," he said. "I'm surprised we haven't taken more Panthers action. They're last year's champs, toward the top of the standings and had a good deadline.

"But we're still not taking much Florida action."

Indeed, the Panthers are well outside the top five at BetMGM, in both tickets and money. Edmonton leads the ticket count, followed by Toronto, Carolina, Dallas and Winnipeg.

In money, the Maple Leafs are No. 1, followed by the Oilers, Jets, Rangers and Stars.

"The book would love a Panthers repeat. Among the realistic teams, they are our best outcome. The Stars and Hurricanes are two other realistic teams the book is rooting for," Cipollini said.

As for liabilities in Stanley Cup futures:

"The Oilers are the No. 1 team that we want to avoid winning the Cup this year. The Capitals and Jets are the two other teams we do not want to win right now. And a longer-shot team that we have liability on is the Rangers," Cipollini said.

New York is at +3500, 14th in odds to win the Stanley Cup.

Flying Under the Radar

With a month-plus left in the regular season, Cipollini said it's tough to point to a potential dark horse in Stanley Cup futures odds.

"At this point, the book is giving 10 teams a realistic shot at winning, compared with the NBA, which has three to five realistic teams," he said. "I personally don't love any of the teams outside of that top 10. I think one of them will win."

On a crowded odds board, all 10 teams are at odds of +1200 or shorter. But Cipollini said two of those 10 might be a good value play.

"The West is stacked right now. So if I were to pick, I'd take a team from the East," he said. "I know the Leafs have a ton of postseason failures. But this would really be a big year for them to make a run.

"And the Lightning are another team that hasn't taken a ton of action but are very good."

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Patrick Everson

Patrick Everson is a senior reporter for VegasInsider. Based in Las Vegas since 1994, he's worked in the sports betting journalism/content space for more than a decade. He's most known for his deep roster of contacts behind sportsbook counters, providing readers and viewers with the ins-and-outs of how events are being bet. He's also a thought leader in the sports betting space, often appearing on or moderating panels at national conferences. More from Patrick Everson