The NHL's 2021-2022 season kicks off with the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins, followed by the Vegas Golden Knights welcoming the expansion Seattle Kraken.

Stanley Cup Favorites (+900 or better):

• Colorado Avalanche (+475)
• Vegas Golden Knights (+700)
• Tampa Bay Lightning (+700)
• Toronto Maple Leafs (+900)

Best Value: Tampa Bay Lightning (+700) The two-time defending champions boast elite talent across the roster, including:

• Andrei Vasilevskiy (top goaltender)
• Victor Hedman (elite defenseman)
• Offensive stars: Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point

Cup Contenders (+1300 to +2500):

• Boston Bruins (+1300)
• New York Islanders (+1500)
• Florida Panthers (+1800)
• Edmonton Oilers (+2000)
• New York Rangers (+2200)
• Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes (all +2500)

Best Value: Florida Panthers (+1800)

• Added scorer Sam Reinhart
• Healthy Aaron Ekblad
• Strong goalie tandem (Bobrovsky/Knight)
• Win-now mentality with 10 pending free agents

Cup Hopefuls (+3000 to +4500):

• Washington Capitals (+3000)
• Dallas Stars (+3500)
• Seattle Kraken, Philadelphia Flyers (+4000)
• Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames (+4500)

Best Value: Seattle Kraken (+4000)

• Analytics-focused roster construction
• Key free agent additions: Schwartz, Grubauer, Wennberg
• Strong defensive prospects

Longshots (+5000 to +20000): Notable teams include:

• St. Louis Blues, New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens (+5000)
• San Jose Sharks, Nashville Predators, Los Angeles Kings (+10000)
• Detroit Red Wings (+15000)
• Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, Arizona Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks (+20000)

Best Value: New Jersey Devils (+5000)

• Young core: Hischier, Hughes, Sharangovich, Smith
• Added Graves and Hamilton
• Improved goaltending depth with Bernier

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