Hockey Handicapping Articles

2025-26 Philadelphia Flyers Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/26/2025

The Philadelphia Flyers have been progressing through their rebuild and as a result they were not competitive last season. They finished last in the Eastern Conference with 76 points. Their -48-goal differential was the third worst mark in the conference, and their 13 road wins were tied for the worst mark in the NHL.

2025-26 Ottawa Senators Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/26/2025

Last season went better than expected for the Ottawa Senators as they cracked the playoff picture. They finished the season with 97 points, narrowly missing out on the final guaranteed spot in the Atlantic Division. Ottawa did finish in the top wild card spot and finished the season with a +9-goal differential.

2025-26 New Jersey Devils Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/25/2025

Thanks to the addition of Jacob Markstrom, the Devils were finally back to being a real threat in the Eastern Conference. They finished with 91 points and snagged the final guaranteed spot in the Metro Division. They finished with a +20-goal differential and were one of the better road teams in the league as they collected nearly 53% of their points on the road. Unfortunately, their playoff appearance was short lived as the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated them in five games and they finished the series with a -7-goal differential.

2025-26 New York Rangers Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/25/2025

The New York Rangers joined Nashville in terms of an incredibly disappointing season. After winning the Presidents Trophy the year before, the Rangers finished with just 85 points and missed the playoffs. Though they did end the season with a +1-goal differential, they struggled at home, and their success was held back due to internal issues.

2025-26 Los Angeles Kings Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/25/2025

The Los Angeles Kings finished the regular season with 105 points which was good enough for a second-place finish in the Pacific Division. They recorded a +44-goal differential while going 31-6-4 at home which was the best home record in the NHL. Unfortunately for the Kings, their season ended at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers for the fourth straight season after Edmonton overcame an 0-2 series deficit to eliminate Los Angeles in six games.

2025-26 New York Islanders Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/25/2025

Last season the New York Islanders threw in the towel at the deadline and dealt away some key pieces which resulted in the team missing out on the playoffs after finishing with just 82 points. They finished with a -36-goal differential thanks to little offensive support. Their 12 overtime losses were tied for the most in the Eastern Conference.

2025-26 Montreal Canadiens Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/25/2025

Last season was a big surprise in Montreal as the Canadiens found their way into the playoffs despite some lowly expectations. They finished the regular season with 91 points which was good enough for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately for Montreal, their playoff run was short lived as they lost in five games at the hands of Washington, finishing the series with a -6-goal differential.

2025-26 Nashville Predators Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/25/2025

There have been a lot of disappointing seasons in sports history, where high expectations never came to fruition. However, there may not have been a more disappointing season in recent memory than what the Nashville Predators turned in last season. They were projected to be a near 100-point team and a formidable playoff opponent. Despite their lofty expectations, they finished with the third lowest point total in the league with just 68 points. Their -60-goal differential was the third worst mark in the league, and they won just 10 games on the road.

2025-26 Minnesota Wild Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/25/2025

Last season the Minnesota Wild finished the regular season with 97 points and claimed the top wild card spot in Western Conference. Their -11-goal differential was the worst amongst playoff teams in the conference. With the top wild card, they squared off against Vegas in the first round of the playoffs. Unfortunately, their playoff stay was short lived as they were eliminated in six games after fumbling a 2-1 series lead.

2025-26 Edmonton Oilers Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/24/2025

The Edmonton Oilers season ended in heartbreak last season as they once again fell short in the Stanley Cup Finals. They dominated the Kings in the first round while beating Vegas and Dallas in five games. Unfortunately, their dominant run would end in six games as the Florida Panthers repeated as Stanley Cup Champions. The Oilers finished the regular season with 101 points and a +23-goal differential.

2025-26 Dallas Stars Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/24/2025

Last season ended in disappointment once again for Dallas Stars fans. After a thrilling opening round against Colorado, Dallas stormed through Winnipeg as they won the series in six games. Unfortunately, Dallas would once again fail to reach the Stanley Cup Final as their season was brought to an end by Edmonton, who won the series in five games. Despite the disappointing end, the Stars finished second in the Central Division with 106 points and their +53-goal differential was the third best in the Western Conference.

2025-26 Detroit Red Wings Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/24/2025

The Detroit Red Wings once again failed to reach the postseason after finishing the season with just 86 points. They finished five points behind Montreal who claimed the final wild card spot. Their -21-goal differential was the worst amongst teams to reach the 85-point mark. They did well on home ice, but their road performance really held them back last year.

2025-26 Columbus Blue Jackets Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/24/2025

The Columbus Blue Jackets turned in a surprise season last year where they managed to find their way into the playoff conversation. They finished the year with 89 points and were the first team out in the Eastern Conference. They dominated on home ice, going 26-10-5 and their +5-goal differential was the best amongst nonplayoff teams. The Blue Jackets finished fourth in the Metro Division trailing the New Jersey Devils by just two points.

2025-26 Florida Panthers Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/24/2025

The Florida Panthers finished the season with 98 points, one ahead of Ottawa for the final guaranteed spot in the Atlantic Division. After narrowly securing this guaranteed spot, the Panthers dominated Tampa Bay in the first round. They eliminated the Lightning in five games while boasting a +7-goal differential. After that, they took down Toronto in seven games and then made quick work of Carolina in the conference finals. Florida won the Stanley Cup Finals in six games over Edmonton for the second year in a row.

2025-26 Colorado Avalanche Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/23/2025

The Colorado Avalanche put together one of the best regular season performances in the NHL last season as they finished third in the tough Central Division with 102 points. They finished with a +43-goal differential and mustered 47 of their season points on the road. They faced the Dallas Stars in the first round of the playoffs last season and fell victim to their old friend Mikko Rantanen after he solidified a series victory for the Stars in Game 7 of the first round.

2025-26 Carolina Hurricanes Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/23/2025

Last season the Carolina Hurricanes finished with 99 points on the season which was good enough for a second-place finish in the Metro Division. Their 31-9-1 home record was the best mark in the Eastern Conference, and their +33-goal differential was the fourth best in the conference. Carolina opened up the playoffs with a series win against the Devils in five games, before proceeding to beat Washington in five. Unfortunately, their season ended at the hands of the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

2025-26 Chicago Blackhawks Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/23/2025

The Chicago Blackhawks were still in the midst of their rebuild last season. They finished 31st in the league with just 61 points, ahead of only the San Jose Sharks. Their 10-26-5 road record was tied for the second worst road performance in the NHL last season while their -70-goal differential was the second worst in the league.

2025-26 Boston Bruins Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/22/2025

Last season was an incredibly disappointing campaign for Boston Bruins fans. They fell out of the playoff picture early and finished 15th in the Eastern Conference with 76 points, and their -50-goal differential was tied for the worst mark in the conference. Their last place finish in the Atlantic Division can be credited to their non-existent offense and the fact that they went 13-25-3 on the road, which was the worst in the Eastern Conference.

2025-26 Buffalo Sabres Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/22/2025

Last season was another disappointing campaign for the Buffalo Sabres. After finishing with just 79 points, they placed seventh in the Atlantic Division, ahead of only Boston. They finished with a -20-goal differential, and their road struggles were a real hindrance to their season. Buffalo had some major internal concerns both inside the locker room and with the executives in the front office. However, the Sabres did finish the season on a 9-4-1 stretch, which could indicate that the franchise has moved past their internal issues.

2025-26 Calgary Flames Predictions and Odds to Win Stanley Cup Finals
by Ryan Cobbett - 9/22/2025

Despite all the naysayers last season, the Calgary Flames emerged as a contender, taking their playoff hopes all the way to the end of the season before narrowly missing out on the final wild card spot. Calgary finished with 96 points, despite finishing the year with a -13-goal differential, and they were the first team out in the Western Conference. They dominated on home ice, going 23-12-6, and their goaltending was amongst the league’s best.