Discerning who is a dark horse to win the Stanley Cup is a matter of perspective. While the Edmonton Oilers are priced like one, not many people would give them that title. The Oilers have too much star power ever to be considered a dark horse in the eyes of the general public.
Pittsburgh also has odds like a dark horse, but the aging Penguins fall into the same category as Edmonton regarding star power. Here are four teams that don’t fit that bill that might be worth looking at now as dark horses to win the 2023 Stanley Cup.
Media by Associated Press – Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck
4. Winnipeg Jets, +3200
The Jets have established themselves as potential party crashers for the Stanley Cup thanks to goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck. The 29-year-old Michigan native has recorded an 8-4-1 record thus far, and his .935 save percentage is tied for the best in the league. Hellebuyck is also sporting a 2.07 goals-against average, which ranks second in the league.
Center Mark Scheifele leads the team with ten goals. While the offense is in the bottom third of the league in most categories, the Jets have excelled on defense. Winnipeg has the third-best penalty kill in the league, halting its opponents 85.7 percent of the time. The Jets allow 2.4 goals per game, which also ranks third in the league. Betting experts and sports people say defense wins championships, and the Jets could be built to win the Stanley Cup in 2023.
3. Minnesota Wild, +3000
The Wild are a fun team that is backstopped by boom-or-bust Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury has been spectacular throughout his career but is in his late30s now and does have stretches of struggles to balance out his stretches of excellence. Minnesota has been good on defense, allowing 2.9 goals per game and recording an 80.3 percentage on the penalty kill.
Kirill Kaprizov leads the team with 14 goals and could lead the Wild to their first Stanley Cup appearance in 2023.
2. New York Rangers, +1400
The Rangers got off to a slow start but have a reliable backstop in goaltender Igor Shesterkin. While Shesterkin has seen his save percentage tick down from .935 to .917 this season, he is still seventh in the league in goals-against average, giving up 2.34 goals per game. New York also still has plenty of punch on offense.
The Rangers have seen Mika Zibanejad score ten goals already this season. New York will need to work on finishing scoring chances better before the playoffs start. The Rangers rank fifth in the league by getting 34.6 shots per game on the net but are only 20th in goals scored at 2.9 per game.
1. Florida Panthers, +1700
Hockey in South Beach largely disappointed last spring when the Presidents’ Trophy winners were bounced in the second round of the playoffs by in-state rival Tampa Bay. While the Panthers have largely stumbled out of the gates this season, they still play a fun brand of hockey.
Florida is first in the league in shots on net by averaging 40.3 per game, but the Panthers are woeful on the power play. Florida has only been converting 18.8 percent of its opponents. Should the Panthers pick it up on special teams, they will be dangerous down the stretch again and are a potential Stanley Cup contender.
Check out our NHL betting picks here.