The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing, with 16 teams battling through four intense rounds to claim the championship. The defending champion Florida Panthers are back, facing stiff competition from regular-season leaders such as the Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals, and Edmonton Oilers.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are determined to end their long-standing championship drought. Their path goes through their rivals, the Ottawa Senators, featuring star players Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson. In the Metropolitan Division, the New Jersey Devils, led by Nico Hischier and facing injury challenges, will compete against the Carolina Hurricanes, boosted by rookie sensation Jackson Blake. The Panthers will have a heated series against their in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have been dominant in the latter half of the season.
In the Western Conference, a highly anticipated first-round matchup features the Dallas Stars against the Colorado Avalanche. Interestingly, former Avalanche star Mikko Rantanen is now with Dallas. Colorado made a strong statement with a 5-1 victory in Game 1. Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Jets rallied from a 3-2 deficit to defeat the St. Louis Blues 5-3.
Connor McDavid, last year`s Conn Smythe Trophy recipient, earned the MVP award despite his team not winning the Stanley Cup. He aims to win it again this year, hoping for a different outcome. Below are the top contenders for the Conn Smythe Trophy, along with odds for each team to win their first-round series, advance in the playoffs, and ultimately win the Stanley Cup.
Odds to win Conference, Stanley Cup
| Team | Cup | Conference | Win Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche | +500 | +250 | -450 |
| Florida Panthers | +700 | +350 | -115 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +800 | +325 | -290 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +800 | +375 | -250 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +800 | +375 | -550 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +900 | +500 | -120 |
| Washington Capitals | 11-1 | +400 | -275 |
| Dallas Stars | 20-1 | 12-1 | +320 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 10-1 | +450 | -105 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 10-1 | +500 | -190 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 18-1 | +900 | +100 |
| Ottawa Senators | 40-1 | 16-1 | +160 |
| New Jersey Devils | 40-1 | 16-1 | +240 |
| St. Louis Blues | 60-1 | 30-1 | +360 |
| Minnesota Wild | 40-1 | 15-1 | +210 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 75-1 | 40-1 | +220 |
Odds to win Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to the most valuable player of the playoffs.
- Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche: +900
- Connor Hellebuyck, Jets: 12-1
- Cale Makar, Avalanche: 16-1
- Connor McDavid, Oilers: 16-1
- Leon Draisaitl, Oilers: 20-1
- Aleksander Barkov, Panthers: 25-1
- Alex Ovechkin, Capitals: 25-1
- Jack Eichel, Golden Knights: 25-1
- Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers: 25-1
- Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning: 30-1
- Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs: 30-1
- Kyle Connor, Jets: 30-1
- Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers: 30-1
- Nikita Kucherov, Lightning: 30-1
- Mackenzie Blackwood, Avalanche: 40-1
- Mark Scheifele, Jets: 40-1
- Sam Reinhart, Panthers: 40-1
- Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes: 40-1
- Seth Jarvis, Hurricanes: 40-1
- Adin Hill, Golden Knights: 50-1
- Brayden Point, Lightning: 50-1
- Kirill Kaprizov, Wild: 50-1
- Logan Thompson, Capitals: 50-1
- Mark Stone, Golden Knights: 50-1
- Mitch Marner, Maple Leafs: 50-1
- William Nylander, Maple Leafs: 50-1
- Adrian Kempe, Kings: 60-1
- Anthony Stolarz, Maple Leafs: 60-1
- Jake Oettinger, Stars: 60-1
- Darcy Kuemper, Kings: 75-1
- Dylan Strome, Capitals: 75-1
- Mikko Rantanen, Stars: 75-1
- Roope Hintz, Stars: 75-1
- Wyatt Johnston, Stars: 75-1
- Anze Kopitar, Kings: 100-1
- Brady Tkachuk, Senators: 100-1
- Filip Gustavsson, Wild: 100-1
- Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes: 100-1
- Jacob Markstrom, Devils: 100-1
- Jake Guentzel, Lightning: 100-1
- Jason Robertson, Stars: 100-1
- Kevin Fiala, Kings: 100-1
- Martin Necas, Avalanche: 100-1
- Matt Duchene, Stars: 100-1
- Miro Heiskanen, Stars: 100-1
- Nico Hischier, Devils: 100-1
- Pyotr Kochetkov, Hurricanes: 100-1
- Thomas Harley, Stars: 100-1
- Tim Stutzle, Senators: 100-1
- Andrei Svechnikov, Hurricanes: 150-1
- Brandon Hagel, Lightning: 150-1
- Jaccob Slavin, Hurricanes: 150-1
- Jordan Binnington, Blues: 150-1
- Joseph Woll, Maple Leafs: 150-1
- Pierre-Luc Dubois, Capitals: 150-1
- Linus Ullmark, Senators: 150-1
- Sam Bennett, Panthers: 150-1
- Shea Theodore, Golden Knights: 150-1
- Tom Wilson, Capitals: 150-1
- Tomas Hertl, Golden Knights: 150-1
- Valeri Nichushkin, Avalanche: 150-1
- Victor Hedman, Lightning: 150-1
- Aliaksei Protas, Capitals: 200-1
- Brad Marchand, Panthers: 200-1
- Carter Verhaeghe, Panthers: 200-1
- Jesper Bratt, Devils: 200-1
- John Tavares, Maple Leafs: 200-1
- Jordan Kyrou, Blues: 200-1
- Robert Thomas, Blues: 200-1
Rupert Hartwell 
Benedict Kingsley