Carolina Won the Cup, But Their 2027 Odds Are ALREADY Telling a Story Seattle Fans Won't Like

Holy smokes, did you guys see this? The Carolina Hurricanes just lifted the Stanley Cup, beating the Vegas Golden Knights in a tight series. And before the confetti even settled, the bookmakers are already dropping odds for the 2026-27 season. We're talking about next year, folks! It's April, our Mariners are just getting warmed up, the Seahawks are hitting the draft, and the Kraken are battling hard on the ice right now, but these early future odds? They hit different, especially when our Emerald City boys aren't even in the conversation for the top tier. It's a reminder of how tough this league is and how much work is ahead.

The Champs Are Back, And Back, And Back Already?!

So, yeah, the Hurricanes did it. They absolutely clamped down on the Golden Knights, shutting them out 3-0 in Game 6 to clinch the series 4-2. That's their first Cup since 2006, a long time coming for them. And get this, DraftKings is already putting them down as the favorites to repeat in 2027, with leading odds of +700. Like, they just finished celebrating, and they're already stacking chips for next year! Right behind them, we've got the Colorado Avalanche at +800 and those Vegas Golden Knights, who just got beat, at +850. Then you've got the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers both at 11-1, with the Tampa Bay Lightning close behind at 12-1. That's a loaded top tier already.

So Many Contenders, But Where Are OUR Boys?

It gets even wilder when you look at the different books. BetMGM and Caesars actually have the Avalanche as the outright favorites, with the Canes in second. And those Golden Knights? Their odds stretch all the way to 14-1 at FanDuel on some sites, while the Lightning even grab the third-best odds at a couple of spots. The Canes' belief has been rock solid, though, coming into the 2025-26 season as +750 co-favorites and then +475 as the second favorite going into the postseason. That's some serious consistency, and it tells you these guys are legit.

But here's the kicker, folks. The future markets are packed. There are twelve teams at 25-1 or better, including the Minnesota Wild (14-1), Dallas Stars (15-1), and Ottawa Senators (16-1). Then there’s another tier with teams that apparently "broke out" this season: Montreal Canadiens (22-1), Anaheim Ducks (25-1), and Buffalo Sabres (25-1). And at the very bottom, we see the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks at a massive 500-1. You know what I'm thinking, right? Where are the Kraken in all this? It’s tough to see these lists without our team even getting a mention among the contenders. It just fires us up to see them climb that ladder.

What's Next For Seattle Sports: Keeping Our Eyes on the Prize

It's a wild time in sports, right? While some teams are already looking two seasons ahead, here in Seattle, we're focused on the grind right now. Our Mariners, with Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez leading the charge, are battling every single night at T-Mobile Park. Our Sounders, with Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris, are out there making noise, and Roldan just got that USMNT call-up, which is huge! Over at Lumen Field, Coach Macdonald and Sam Darnold are gearing up the Seahawks for a tough season, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is just getting started. We've got so much to cheer for right here, right now. These early NHL odds for other teams? They just add fuel to the fire. We know our Kraken are building something special, and we're ready to see them prove everyone wrong. Let's go, Seattle!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.