NHL 2026-27: The Champions, the Summer Trades and Our First Picks

Off-season moves that changed the prices

Four teams changed shape this summer, and the futures market moved with them.

Florida. After winning the Cup in 2024 and 2025, the Panthers finished seventh in the Atlantic and missed the 2026 playoffs. Their reply was the biggest trade of June: Brady Tkachuk from Ottawa, joining his brother Matthew. Ottawa received the ninth and 25th picks of the 2026 draft, a conditional 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second. Tkachuk has two seasons left on his contract. Florida also changed goaltender: Sergei Bobrovsky left for Toronto, and Jacob Markstrom arrived from New Jersey.

Washington. The Capitals were the last team out of the 2026 playoffs. They traded for Jordan Kyrou from St. Louis on 24 June, and two days later took Alex Tuch from Buffalo in a sign-and-trade on an eight-year, $84 million contract. Tuch scored 33 goals for the Sabres last season. Alex Ovechkin is back for another season and, at the start of October, was chasing his 930th goal.

Toronto. The Maple Leafs signed Bobrovsky for three years and $21 million, and drafted Gavin McKenna first overall. Ottawa, without Tkachuk, named Thomas Chabot captain.

Utah. The Mammoth traded for Vincent Trocheck from the Rangers, sending Sean Durzi, Cole Beaudoin and a third-round pick to New York.

The goaltending changes in Toronto and Florida matter most to us. Two first-choice goalies changed teams in one summer, and a team's price over a full season moves more with its goalie than with almost any skater.

This week: our NHL predictions

These are five games from Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October. The expected price is our estimate of fair odds on the pick shown, written in decimal. It is not an operator's quote, and the starting goaltender, sometimes not confirmed until close to the game, can move it a long way.

Carolina at Montréal. The champions have scored five goals in three games, and the market notices that. Montréal won 3–2 in Toronto on opening night and are unbeaten in regulation. In our view Carolina's slow start is mostly finishing, not structure, and a price near even money on the visitors is fair.

Nashville at Toronto. Toronto have lost two of three but conceded only seven goals. Nashville have scored three in two games. We favour the home side, more so if Bobrovsky starts.

Vegas at Seattle. Seattle have allowed five goals in three games and beat Calgary twice by five. Vegas won in Vancouver on Sunday. Our pick is a lower-scoring game than the early totals suggest.

Pittsburgh at Washington. Pittsburgh are 2–0 with 13 goals, and the price will reflect that. Washington won 5–2 in Carolina last week. Our view is that the home side, with Kyrou and Tuch added, is the better team over sixty minutes.

Colorado at Winnipeg. Colorado have scored 14 goals in two games. Winnipeg are 1-0-1. We back the Avalanche, but at a shorter price than this we would pass.

Stanley Cup and division futures: our view

This section is opinion. When the 2026–27 futures market opened in June, Carolina were favourites, Colorado second and Vegas third. Our NHL predictions for the Cup put Colorado first, because the best regular-season team of last year has started where it left off, and we would put them near 7.00. Carolina are the defending champions, and we see them around 8.00. Florida with both Tkachuks is the price we would watch: if Markstrom holds up in goal, we think the market has them too long after a season out of the playoffs.

For the divisions, our view is:

• Metropolitan: Carolina, with Washington the outside price we like after their summer.
• Atlantic: Florida, with Toronto close behind if Bobrovsky plays sixty games.
• Central: Colorado, and we think the market is right to make them clear favourites.
• Pacific: Edmonton, though their goals against need to fall.

Futures on an 84-game season tie up money until April. Prices on longer shots carry a wide margin, so compare several sites and read our guide to the best odds before staking.

Our ranking of no verification betting sites shows which operators name a sum for ID checks and which leave it open.

From the same desk: Super Bowl.

Where to watch the NHL

National games in the United States are shown by the league's national broadcasters, and in Canada by its national rights holders. The league also sells an out-of-market package that carries more than a thousand games across the season. Which games you can watch depends on where you live and on local blackouts.

A number of betting sites also show some games to account holders who are logged in. We point to sites that do this, but the games each one carries differ from site to site and country to country, so open the live section before counting on it.

More hockey and North American sport

For the markets themselves, including the puck line and the 60-minute line, read our ice hockey betting guide. For basketball, our NBA season page covers it. Every sport we cover is listed on the sports hub. Our NHL predictions are refreshed through the season. Set a limit before you bet on futures, and see our responsible gambling page if betting stops being fun.

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