The Carolina Hurricanes are Stanley Cup champions. After falling behind 2-1 in the series against Vegas, the Hurricanes rattled off three consecutive wins to secure their second Stanley Cup in franchise history and their first since the 2005-06 season.
Carolina was dominant all season, earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and losing just three games throughout the postseason. A goaltending change to Brandon Bussi in Game 3 proved to be the right decision, while 37-year-old Jordan Staal turned back the clock by recording seven points, including six goals, in the Stanley Cup Final. His performance earned him the 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, making him the oldest player in NHL history to win the award.
The Hurricanes are the early betting favorites (+650) to win the 2027 Stanley Cup at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook as they look to defend their championship and capture back-to-back titles.
Early 2027 Stanley Cup Winner Odds
Below are the early odds for the 2026-27 NHL season:
- Carolina Hurricanes: +650
- Colorado Avalanche: +700
- Tampa Bay Lightning: +1000
- Florida Panthers: +1100
- Edmonton Oilers: +1100
- Minnesota Wild: +1200
- Vegas Golden Knights: +1300
- Ottawa Senators: +1500
- Dallas Stars: +1750
- New Jersey Devils: +2250
- Montreal Canadiens: +2500
- Anaheim Ducks: +2500
- Utah Mammoth: +3000
- Los Angeles Kings: +3000
- Buffalo Sabres: +3000
- Columbus Blue Jackets: +3000
- Winnipeg Jets: +4000
- Philadelphia Flyers: +4000
- Washington Capitals: +4000
- Toronto Maple Leafs: +4000
- Detroit Red Wings: +5000
- San Jose Sharks: +5000
- Pittsburgh Penguins: +6000
- New York Rangers: +6000
- New York Islanders: +7500
- Boston Bruins: +7500
- St. Louis Blues: +10000
- Nashville Predators: +10000
- Chicago Blackhawks: +10000
- Seattle Kraken: +20000
- Calgary Flames: +20000
- Vancouver Canucks: +50000
Hurricanes Favored After Claiming 2026 Stanley Cup
While the Hurricanes are still celebrating their championship, they’re already the early favorites to win the Stanley Cup again next season. Given the year they just had, that shouldn’t come as a surprise.
There have been 19 instances of teams successfully defending their title by winning back-to-back, or more, Stanley Cups in NHL history. Carolina has never accomplished that feat, but it appears to have the roster in place to make a serious run at it. The most recent team to win consecutive Stanley Cups was the Florida Panthers in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Golden Knights Fall Outside Top Five After Final Defeat
The Golden Knights finished atop the Pacific Division and recorded the fourth-most points in the Western Conference during the regular season. After defeating Utah and Anaheim in six games in the first two rounds, Vegas pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the postseason by sweeping the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in four games to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
Despite taking a 2-1 series lead over Carolina, the Golden Knights were unable to close out the series and lost three straight games to finish as runners-up. Even after an impressive playoff run, six teams, including three from the Western Conference, have shorter odds to win the Stanley Cup in 2027 than Vegas.
Early 2027 NHL Futures Are Available
The NHL season may have just ended, but Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook is already looking ahead to next year. The 2026-27 Stanley Cup futures market is now live, along with select markets for the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft. Be sure to visit the NHL section to check out the latest hockey betting odds and place your wagers.
Referenced odds are subject to change.
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