2023-24 Stanley Cup odds: Hurricanes open NHL season as betting favorites; sportsbooks most exposed on Avalanche

The NHL's regular season begins on Tuesday night with three games, including the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights raising the first championship banner in franchise history before their game against the Seattle Kraken. Vegas is +1200 to repeat at DraftKings with the Carolina Hurricanes as +800 Cup favorites. However, it's the Colorado Avalanche at +1000 where DraftKings and BetMGM are the most exposed.

Carolina won the Metropolitan Division last season but was upset in the Eastern Conference Finals in a four-game sweep by the Wild Card Florida Panthers. The Hurricanes, who have the NHL's fourth-best record over the past five seasons, haven't been to the Stanley Cup Final since winning their lone title in 2006. Things might have been different last year if young star forward Andrei Svechnikov didn't tear his ACL in March. He's likely not available for Wednesday's season opener but should return soon.

The team's offseason focus was keeping the core in place by re-signing Jordan Staal (four years) and Jesper Fast (two years) and goalies Frederik Andersen (two years) and Antti Raanta (one year). All could have left as unrestricted free agents.

Carolina is not among the three most-wagered teams at BetMGM or DraftKings, in tickets or money, to win the 2024 Stanley Cup. At DK, the Canes are taking only 8% of all bets and 5% of the handle. They open Wednesday at home vs. Ottawa.

Colorado, the 2022 Stanley Cup champion, is taking 16% of the handle and 14% of the bets at DK to win the Cup. Those rates are 12.7% of the handle and 12.6% of the tickets at BetMGM. Those rates are tops at both books.

Last season, the Avalanche won the Central Division despite some major injuries but were upset in the first round of the playoffs by Seattle. The Avs will play a second straight season without excellent winger Gabriel Landeskog due to a serious knee problem, but the team boosted the offense in the offseason with additions Ryan Johansen, Ross Colton, Jonathan Drouin and Miles Wood.

Edmonton (+1000) is second at both books in handle to win the 2024 Stanley Cup. The Oilers as usual will be spectacular on offense, led by reigning Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid -- the heavy -105 favorite to repeat -- but once again their goaltending is the question. The Oilers lost in the Western semifinals last season to Vegas. Goaltender Stuart Skinner's maiden postseason came with big questions as he finished with a 3.68 GAA and a .883 save percentage and was pulled in three of the Oilers' four defeats against the Golden Knights. Edmonton opens in Vancouver on Wednesday.

No Canadian team has won the Cup since 1993. Toronto has the shortest odds of those clubs at +900 but is not among the most-wagered teams. The Maple Leafs finally won a playoff series last spring but then were upset in the second round by Florida.

DraftKings favorites to win 2024 Stanley Cup:

• Hurricanes +800
• Devils +900
• Maple Leafs +900
• Avalanche +1000
• Oilers +1000
• Golden Knights +1200
• Rangers +1300
• Stars +1400

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