Opening 2020 Stanley Cup Odds: Lightning Favored, Golden Knights a Close Second, Blues Given 14-1 Odds to Defend Championship

• Oddsmakers have listed the Tampa Bay Lightning as the +600 favorites to win the 2019-20 Stanley Cup
• The Vegas Golden Knights are the top Western Conference team at +800
• The reigning champion St. Louis Blues are listed at +1400 to repeat

Two NHL teams that exited in the first round of this spring’s playoffs have been given the best chance to win the Stanley Cup for 2019-20. Then again, the team that just won the Cup, the St. Louis Blues, didn’t even make the playoffs in 2017-18.

Oddsmakers put out with 2019-20 Stanley Cup odds and the Tampa Bay Lightning are the +600 chalk to win it all. The Vegas Golden Knights are the second betting choice at +800.

Vegas exited the 2019 NHL Playoffs in a seven-game opening-round loss to the San Jose Sharks. Tampa Bay was swept in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Lightning had won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s best regular-season team.

2020 NHL Stanley Cup Odds

*Odds taken 06/13/19

The Blues are listed at +1400 to repeat as Cup champions. Just three teams have won back-to-back Cups since 1989.

Will Lightning Finally Strike?

This season looked like the year that Tampa Bay would finally get over the hump and go all the way. The Lightning dominated the regular season.

They won an NHL-record 62 games. Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov captured the NHL scoring title. They scored more goals (325), and won more home (37) and road (32) games than any other team.

128 points.
41 goals.
87 assists.

No surprises here – Nikita Kucherov has earned his first career Art Ross Trophy. 🔥 #Klutcherov

📝: https://t.co/grfoijuNr3 pic.twitter.com/tnLbnmKFLf

— x – Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) April 7, 2019

Then they playoffs started and they didn’t win a single game.

Still, it would be wrong to count out the Lightning. They might need to toughen up their bottom six forwards but that’s not hard to fix. In goal, they have a Vezina Trophy winner in Andrei Vasilevskiy. There’s tons of scoring depth.

If Erik Karlsson signs with Tampa Bay Lightning… pic.twitter.com/1Y76lVaUMu

— Emmanuel (@EmmanuelXLI) June 5, 2019

Victor Hedman is a Norris Trophy winner and the Lightning are linked to Erik Karlsson, another Norris Trophy winner who is this summer’s hottest UFA.

Golden Knights Mining For Silver

Vegas is the other team that’s been frequently linked to Karlsson. He could be the missing piece in the puzzle for a team that has just about everything but a high-end puck-moving rearguard.

Stanley Cup finalists in 2017-18, the Golden Knights were a bad official’s call away from eliminating the Sharks. If they get over that hump, then who knows?

Pope Francis Gets Custom Golden Knights Jersey, Sin City's Holiest Fan! https://t.co/qhXuxjG78H

— TMZ (@TMZ) May 11, 2019

They’ve done a splendid job of building a team in two short years. They can even count on divine intervention.

Don’t Forget These Teams

One year removed from a championship, the Washington Capitals are still loaded. The Carolina Hurricanes took big strides this season. They play a strong puck possession game and will be a threat.

Culture = Changed pic.twitter.com/AleWKb4OrR

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) May 21, 2019

In 2017, the Nashville Predators played in the Stanley Cup final. They still have the best top-four defense in the league. At +2500, that’s an intriguing price.

Stay Away From These Busts

What the Blues did this spring was magical. But they don’t make sequels of fairy tales. St. Louis isn’t winning two Cups in a row.  Likewise, since 1984 just one one losing finalist has made it back to the Cup final the following spring. The Boston Bruins aren’t a wise play.

The @StLouisBlues are the first team from any of the four major North American sports leagues to win a title after placing last place overall in the league standings after one-quarter or more of the season’s games (since 1967-68). #NHLStats #Game7 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/1MJkiLTZ2O

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 13, 2019

The Pittsburgh Penguins still have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. They also have a litany of holes in their lineup. There’s clearly unrest in Toronto between Leafs players and coach Mike Babcock. That’s a powder keg which could implode next season.

Since 1984 just one one losing finalist has made it back to the Cup final the following spring. The Boston Bruins aren’t a wise play.

The core of the San Jose Sharks is another year older and further away from the Cup.

Avs Are Stanley Cup Sleepers

If you’re seeking the next team to rise up from the bottom, Colorado is a solid choice. Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, and Mikko Rantanen are as solid a top line as there is in the league. Tyson Barrie and Sam Girard anchor an underrated defense.

Nathan MacKinnon just might be a magician.#GoAvsGo https://t.co/WfKjpshYi0

— x – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) June 12, 2019

Colorado also has the fourth overall pick in this month’s NHL entry draft.

And the Winner Is . . .

The Lightning. Sure, it’s easy to play the chalk, but listen up. A little history lesson is in order.

In 1970-71, the Boston Bruins shredded the NHL record book. Phil Esposito was scoring champ. Bobby Orr was a Norris Trophy defenseman. And they were stunned in the first round of the playoffs by the Montreal Canadiens.

Right back in the mix! 🇸🇪

Winning his first last season, Victor Hedman has again been named a finalist for the Norris Trophy. pic.twitter.com/dwocxUCe8V

— x – Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) April 21, 2019

The next season, the Bruins were a team on a mission and won the Cup.

That’s the blueprint Tampa Bay will follow to a title.

Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (+600)