2021 Stanley Cup Final Betting

Stanley Cup Final betting in North America is no joke. And while the NHL may not be quite as popular as the NFL, NBA or MLB across the US, Stanley Cup odds are everything for ice hockey sharps around the world.

This year, the two teams vying for the Cup are the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Odds Shark has you covered with all of the NHL odds, angles, stats, and props you need when learning how to bet on the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals. Follow this page frequently for all the latest National Hockey League news, Stanley Cup Finals betting tips, and trends.

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2021 Stanley Cup Final Betting: Sportsbook Odds

TeamOdds
Montreal Canadiens+245
Tampa Bay Lightning-290

Odds as of June 25 at Sportsbook

Stanley Cup Final Betting Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning return to the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row and begin as betting favorites. The Lightning enter the final with the five highest scoring players in this season's NHL playoffs. Nikita Kucherov enters this round with seven more points than any other player, and 11 more than any player not also on the Lightning. 

What makes Kucherov's playoff run even more impressive is that he didn't play a single game in the 2021 regular season. Some have criticized Tampa Bay for skirting NHL cap rules by placing Kucherov and other stars on the LTIR only to activate them in the playoffs, but there is no question they have an unmatched offensive attack.

The Lightning are equally impressive defensively, with Victor Hedman leading all playoff defensemen in scoring (16 points) and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy sporting the highest save percentage in the playoffs (.936). The Lightning have beat three Eastern Conference foes to get the final, and look to take down their fourth of the playoffs to hoist the Cup once again.

Stanley Cup Final Betting Preview: Montreal Canadiens

While the Lightning have long been favorites to lift the Stanley Cup since they did so last year, the Montreal Canadiens have had a far different path. As the lowest-seeded team to make the playoffs in the North Division, the Canadiens have completed upsets in the first three rounds to earn an opportunity to fight for the Stanley Cup.

The Canadiens stormed back from a 3-1 deficit against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Sportsbook round before sweeping he Winnipeg Jets in Round 2, and walked off the Vegas Golden Knights with an overtime win in the semi-final.

On the back of outstanding goaltending from Carey Price, a sound defensive system, and timely goals, the Habs are four wins away from becoming the first Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup since 1993.

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How to Bet on the Stanley Cup Finals

When the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs reach their conclusion, it comes down to two teams squaring off for the top prize. After winning 12 games through the first three rounds, a final best-of-seven series determines the champion of that particular professional hockey season. We’ll show you the ways in which you can bet on the Stanley Cup Final.

Game-By-Game Betting

If you’re betting on individual games, the payouts will work the same as during the regular season. For example, if the Tampa Bay Lightning win Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals by a score of 5-3 and you bet $130 on the Bolts (with a -130 moneyline), then you will receive $100 in profit.

Series Betting

With Stanley Cup series betting, you can wager on which team wins each series outright, or you can wager on NHL futures odds. With series betting, you can pounce on the odds at the start of the series or you can jump on the odds halfway through the series. That way, if things aren’t going so well, you can hedge your hockey bet.

Let’s say you wager $100 on the Toronto Maple Leafs to win the Stanley Cup after they’ve secured a 2-0 series lead against the Boston Bruins in the semifinals, you might get the Buds at +200 betting odds. But if the Black and Yellow go on to win the Cup in a 4-2 series, you lose your $100.

If you’re seeking additional information on how to bet on NHL games, puck lines NHL bets, or if it’s exact matchup odds you want, check out our Stanley Cup Final Exact Matchup Odds for which teams are most likely to meet in the Stanley Cup Finals.

History of Stanley Cup Final Betting

For a glimpse at how Eastern Conference teams have fared compared to Western Conference teams, our Lord Stanley history table dates all the way back to 1927. And no, Montreal Maroons is not a typo.

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Stanley Cup Final Betting History

History of Stanley Cup Finals
YearChampionOpponentSeries ResultMVP
2020
Tampa Bay Lightning
Dallas Stars
4-2
Victor Hedman
2019
St. Louis Blues
Boston Bruins
4-3
Ryan O'Reilly
2018
Washington Capitals
Vegas Golden Knights
4-1
Alex Ovechkin
2017
Pittsburgh Penguins
Nashville Predators
4-2
Sidney Crosby
2016
Pittsburgh Penguins
San Jose Sharks
4-2
Sidney Crosby
2015
Chicago Blackhawks
Tampa Bay Lightning
4-2
Duncan Keith
2014
Los Angeles Kings
New York Rangers
4-1
Justin Williams
2013
Chicago Blackhawks
Boston Bruins
4-2
Patrick Kane
2012
Los Angeles Kings
New Jersey Devils
4-2
Jonathan Quick
2011
Boston Bruins
Vancouver Canucks
4-3
Tim Thomas
2010
Chicago Blackhawks
Philadelphia Flyers
4-2
Jonathan Toews
2009
Pittsburgh Penguins
Detroit Red Wings
4-3
Evgeni Malkin
2008
Detroit Red Wings
Pittsburgh Penguins
4-2
Henrik Zetterberg
2007
Anaheim Ducks
Ottawa Senators
4-1
Scott Niedermeyer
2006
Carolina Hurricanes
Edmonton Oilers
4-3
Cam Ward
2005
No Champion
Owner's Lockout
-
-
2004
Tampa Bay Lightning
Calgary Flames
4-3
Brad Richards
2003
New Jersey Devils
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
4-3
Jean-Sebastien Giguere
2002
Detroit Red Wings
Carolina Hurricanes
4-1
Nicklas Lidstrom
2001
Colorado Avalanche
New Jersey Devils
4-3
Patrick Roy
2000
New Jersey Devils
Dallas Stars
4-2
Scott Stevens
1999
Dallas Stars
Buffalo Sabres
4-2
Joe Nieuwendyk
1998
Detroit Red Wings
Washington Capitals
4-0
Steve Yzerman
1997
Detroit Red Wings
Philadelphia Flyers
4-0
Mike Vernon
1996
Colorado Avalanche
Florida Panthers
4-0
Joe Sakic
1995
New Jersey Devils
Detroit Red Wings
4-0
Claude Lemieux
1994
New York Rangers
Vancouver Canucks
4-3
Brian Leetch
1993
Montreal Canadiens
Los Angeles Kings
4-1
Patrick Roy
1992
Pittsburgh Penguins
Chicago Blackhawks
4-0
Mario Lemieux
1991
Pittsburgh Penguins
Minnesota North Stars
4-2
Mario Lemieux
1990
Edmonton Oilers
Boston Bruins
4-1
Bill Ranford
1989
Calgary Flames
Montreal Canadiens
4-2
Al MacInnis
1988
Edmonton Oilers
Boston Bruins
4-0
Wayne Gretzky
1987
Edmonton Oilers
Philadelphia Flyers
4-3
Ron Hextall
1986
Montreal Canadiens
Calgary Flames
4-1
Patrick Roy
1985
Edmonton Oilers
Philadelphia Flyers
4-1
Wayne Gretzky
1984
Edmonton Oilers
New York Islanders
4-1
Mark Messier
1983
New York Islanders
Edmonton Oilers
4-0
Billy Smith
1982
New York Islanders
Vancouver Canucks
4-0
Mike Bossy
1981
New York Islanders
Minnesota North Stars
4-0
Butch Goring
1980
New York Islanders
Philadelphia Flyers
4-2
Bryan Trottier
1979
Montreal Canadiens
New York Rangers
4-1
Bob Gainey
1978
Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
4-2
Larry Robinson
1977
Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
4-0
Guy Lafleur
1976
Montreal Canadiens
Philadelphia Flyers
4-0
Reggie Leach
1975
Philadelphia Flyers
Buffalo Sabres
4-2
Bernie Parent
1974
Philadelphia Flyers
Boston Bruins
4-2
Bernie Parent
1973
Montreal Canadiens
Chicago Blackhawks
4-2
Yvan Cournoyer
1972
Boston Bruins
New York Rangers
4-2
Bobby Orr
1971
Montreal Canadiens
Chicago Blackhawks
4-3
Ken Dryden
1970
Boston Bruins
St. Louis Blues
4-0
Bobby Orr
1969
Montreal Canadiens
St. Louis Blues
4-0
Serge Savard
1968
Montreal Canadiens
St. Louis Blues
4-0
Glenn Hall
1967
Toronto Maple Leafs
Montreal Canadiens
4-2
Dave Keon
1966
Montreal Canadiens
Detroit Red Wings
4-2
Roger Crozier
1965
Montreal Canadiens
Chicago Blackhawks
4-3
Jean Beliveau
1964
Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
4-3
-
1963
Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
4-1
-
1962
Toronto Maple Leafs
Chicago Blackhawks
4-2
-
1961
Chicago Blackhawks
Detroit Red Wings
4-2
-
1960
Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs
4-0
-
1959
Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs
4-1
-
1958
Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
4-2
-
1957
Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
4-1
-
1956
Montreal Canadiens
Detroit Red Wings
4-1
-
1955
Detroit Red Wings
Montreal Canadiens
4-3
-
1954
Detroit Red Wings
Montreal Canadiens
4-3
-
1953
Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
4-1
-
1952
Detroit Red Wings
Montreal Canadiens
4-0
-
1951
Toronto Maple Leafs
Montreal Canadiens
4-1
-
1950
Detroit Red Wings
New York Rangers
4-3
-
1949
Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
4-0
-
1948
Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
4-0
-
1947
Toronto Maple Leafs
Montreal Canadiens
4-2
-
1946
Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
4-1
-
1945
Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
4-3
-
1944
Montreal Canadiens
Chicago Blackhawks
4-0
-
1943
Detroit Red Wings
Boston Bruins
4-0
-
1942
Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
4-3
-
1941
Boston Bruins
Detroit Red Wings
4-0
-
1940
New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs
4-2
-
1939
Boston Bruins
Toronto Maple Leafs
4-1
-
1938
Chicago Blackhawks
Toronto Maple Leafs
3-1
-
1937
Detroit Red Wings
New York Rangers
3-2
-
1936
Detroit Red Wings
Toronto Maple Leafs
3-1
-
1935
Montreal Maroons
Toronto Maple Leafs
3-0
-
1934
Chicago Blackhawks
Detroit Red Wings
3-1
-
1933
New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs
3-1
-
1932
Toronto Maple Leafs
New York Rangers
3-0
-
1931
Montreal Canadiens
Chicago Black Hawks
3-2
-
1930
Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
2-0
-
1929
Boston Bruins
New York Rangers
2-0
-
1928
New York Rangers
Montreal Maroons
3-2
-
1927
Ottawa Senators
Boston Bruins
2-0-2
-

Who are the Biggest Underdogs to Win the Stanley Cup?

In 2012, the Los Angeles Kings entered the NHL playoffs as an eighth seed and were 20-1 to hoist their first trophy in 44 years. L.A. caught fire with a remarkable 10-1 road record, tying an NHL best for the most road wins in a single postseason. And while the Kings won 16 of their 20 playoff games, they did so by outscoring their opponents 57-30.

In 1995, the New Jersey Devils were a fifth seed heading into the playoffs. The team struggled throughout the shortened 48-game NHL season due to a lockout, and the Detroit Red Wings looked like an unstoppable force with few media members predicting Jersey to win. But Martin Brodeur’s Devils did the unlikely, and swept Motor city 4-0.

In 1986 and with a roster full of rookies, including star goaltender Patrick Roy and forward Claude Lemieux, the Montreal Canadiens stunned the hockey world when they beat the Calgary Flames 4-1 in the Stanley Cup finals.

What Team has the Most Stanley Cups?

If it wasn't already obvious in the table above, the Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup more than any other NHL organization:

  • • Montreal Canadiens - 24
  • • Toronto Maple Leafs - 13
  • • Detroit Red Wings - 11
  • • Boston Bruins - 6
  • • Chicago Blackhawks - 6
  • • Edmonton Oilers - 5
  • • Pittsburgh Penguins - 5
  • • New York Islanders - 4
  • • New York Rangers - 4
  • • New Jersey Devils - 3
  • • Colorado Avalanche - 2
  • • Philadelphia Flyers - 2
  • • Los Angeles Kings - 2
  • • Tampa Bay Lightning - 2
  • • Anaheim Ducks - 1
  • • Calgary Flames - 1
  • • Carolina Hurricanes - 1
  • • Dallas Stars - 1
  • • St. Louis Blues - 1
  • • Washington Capitals - 1

Stanley Cup Final Betting Trends

There have only been seven different Stanley Cup winners in the past 11 years with the Chicago Blackhawks winning three times, and the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings each winning twice. Since the canceled season in 2004-2005, there have been 10 different teams raise Lord Stanley. Of those 10 teams, only the Carolina Hurricanes (2005-2006) and St. Louis Blues (2018-2019) have won after missing out on the playoffs the prior season.

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