The Western Conference hasn’t been as strong as the East in recent seasons when it comes to producing Stanley Cup winners, having won just 7 Stanley Cups since the turn of the millennium, whilst the Eastern Conference has produced 18 winners in that same time span.
With that being said, the West has had 20 teams reach the finals since the year 2000. Ahead of the 2026 NHL season 4 of the top 6 favorites are from the Western Conference so let’s check out who we believe can top the Western Conference this season.
Stanley Cup Winner Odds
NHL 2026 Western Conference Winner Odds
- Edmonton Oilers (+325)
- Dallas Stars (+400)
- Colorado Avalanche (+400)
- Vegas Golden Knights (+450)
- Los Angeles Kings (+1000)
- Winnipeg Jets (+1200)
- Minnesota Wild (+1800)
*All odds from Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
Edmonton Obvious favorites
It’s no surprise to see the Edmonton Oilers are favorites to win the Western Conference this season, firstly because they are the preseason Stanley Cup favorites, so naturally they are going to be the lowest odds team in the West to win the conference.
Secondly, because the Oilers have won the Western Conference in the previous two seasons, and will be aiming/hoping for three in a row in 2026. Although they won the West in the past two years, they haven’t been able to turn those victories into Stanley Cups, with back-to-back losses in the finals.
However, the Oilers do have a formidable team at the moment, and boast the best player in the NHL with Connor McDavid at the helm, and his partner in crime, Leon Draisaitl, sets the Oilers up with two of the strongest forwards in the league.
Colorado and Dallas Joint Second
The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars have been two very strong teams in recent seasons, with the Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup in 2022 and the Stars finishing runner-up in 2020. The Stars have also been runners-up in the Western Conference finals in the previous three years, making them one of the top four teams in the NHL across that time span, but they have yet been able to convert those finals appearances into victory.
The Dallas Stars seem to run out of gas towards the seasons end but at +400 they are capable of finally putting themselves in a position to win the West (finally). Edmonton is dangerous, but the Stars are a team who has the depth to beat them.
Colorado, on the other hand, has been very unpredictable since their Stanley Cup win in 2022, and we don’t feel they deserve of their joint status as second favorite alongside Dallas. Colorado is capable of topping the West in the regular season but they could struggle when it comes to the knockout phase of the playoff system.
Knights, Kings and Jets on the Rise
The 4th, 5th and 6th favorites to win the West this season seem to represent the best value besides the Dallas Stars. Yes, the Oilers are favorites, but it’s really hard to tell what way their season is going to play out, having had those back-to-back losses in the finals.
We’re not saying the Oilers can’t win it three seasons in a row, but we wouldn’t fancy betting them at their current odds—especially with the juicy prices available at top-rated sportsbooks on the Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, and Winnipeg Jets.
Although we would have to say we believe the best odds right now to win the West in terms of the team who has the potential to up their game this season and play way beyond their pre-season odds is the Winnipeg Jets at +12000. The Golden Knights could also be dangerous this season at their current odds, but the value lies with the Jets.
L.A. improved massively last season, but they just don’t seem like a team who can win the Western Conference right now.
What About the Rest?
Honestly there’s no teams in the Western Conference who we believe can win it all this season besides the top seven in the NHL betting market, but two to look out for in terms of their odds and their potential for this upcoming season is the Vancouver Canucks at +3000 and possibly the Utah Mammoths at +2500.
*21+ Seek help with a gambling addiction at 1-800-GAMBLER
*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
