George Richards, FHN Publisher
The Florida Panthers did not come close to winning their third straight Stanley Cup championship this past season, but according to various websites, the two-time champs are one of the betting favorites to win it all again in 2027.
The Panthers were hamstrung by injuries to major players throughout the 2025-26 season which came to a close on Sunday night when the Carolina Hurricanes shut out the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6.
Florida was without Sasha Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, and Seth Jones for much of the season, with injuries also befelling the likes of Dmitry Kulikov, Sam Reinhart, Niko Mikkola, Aaron Ekblad, and more.
With so many players out, the Panthers went into the Olympic break eight points out of the playoffs and were not able to make up any ground.
Florida missed the postseason for the first time since 2019.
Yet, most feel last season was a one-off for a Florida team built to continue winning championships.
Depending on the book, the Panthers are considered one of the top five favorites to win the Stanley Cup.
If so, it would be their third in four years.
The best betting odds for the Panthers are at FanDuel where Florida is +1300.
Based off a $100 bet, that +1300 would amount to $1,300 if the Panthers won.
The Panthers are +1200 at Caesars, and +1100 at Hard Rock, Draft Kings, and Bet365.
Three of the major books have Carolina as the favorite to repeat, with Caesars having the Avalanche at +650.
Carolina and Colorado are the main betting favorites, with Vegas, Edmonton, Florida, and Tampa Bay all around the same odds.
ON DECK: FLORIDA PANTHERS OFFSEASON
- NHL Draft (9th in First Round, Seven Picks Overall): June 26-27; KeyBank Center, Buffalo
- NHL Free Agency: Opens July 1
- Panthers Development Camp: Late June/Early July; IcePlex, Fort Lauderdale
- Panthers Rookie Camp/Tournament: Late August/Early Sept.; Site TBA
- Panthers Training Camp: Early/Mid September; Fort Lauderdale
- 2026-27 NHL Season Opens: Late September; Site, Opponent TBA