Every NHL Team's Championship Odds at the Start of the 2023-24 Season

It's the most wonderful time of the year for hockey fans.

Or at least it's close.

Early October marks the sweet spot on the calendar when each of the NHL's 32 teams is ratcheting up for the arrival of a new regular season as hope springs eternal and the win-loss record stands without a blemish.

It won't be that way for long.

In fact, the first puck drops of 2023-24 are less than a week away, with a trio of Tuesday games hosted by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins and Vegas Golden Knights.

Lest anyone forget, the Golden Knights will be going about the business of defending the franchise's first championship, having won the Stanley Cup with a five-game erasure of the Florida Panthers that ended with a victory lap at T-Mobile Arena on June 14.

The numbers folks at DraftKings have taken it upon themselves to forecast that chase for on-ice supremacy with an updated slate of odds for each team to be skating a lap of their own by the time we work our way back to late spring.

The B/R hockey team crunched those numbers and split the 2023-24 wannabes into tiers ranging from the no-hopers to those teams who'll ponder cleaning house if they don't end their schedules with a parade in eight months.

Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought in the comments.

32. San Jose Sharks (+25000)

Erik Karlsson is gone and so is the reason to watch the Sharks, who will be well-positioned to win the draft lottery but won't see the Cup without a ticket.

31. Anaheim Ducks (+25000)

The Ducks will be young and intermittently exciting, but the season as a whole will give a host of added veterans a chance to work on their West Coast tans.

30. Montreal Canadiens (+25000)

The Canadiens are not without talent and flair thanks to Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, but they are without any chance to add a 25th Stanley Cup. Sacré bleu!

29. Chicago Blackhawks (+20000)

Connor Bedard will give folks a reason to watch, and who knows, maybe he, Taylor Hall and others can make things a bit more respectable. But not parade-worthy.

28. Philadelphia Flyers (+15000)

The must-see TV around the Flyers will more likely relate how long new general manager Daniel Briere and fiery coach John Tortorella play nice. Drought reaches 48 seasons.

27. Columbus Blue Jackets (+15000)

Losing a head coach within weeks of the season-opening faceoff is remarkably bad optics when it comes to forecasting success. On the ice, it's all about the (mediocre) goaltending.

26. Arizona Coyotes (+15000)

They've been forecast as the league's worst team for a few seasons running, but that streak should end here. Logan Cooley is a Rookie of the Year possibility as the rebuild progresses.

25. St. Louis Blues (+8000)

The Blues are the lowest of the most recent Cup champs because there's not a chance they'll add a second title. Big names out. No names in. A whole lot of meh.

24. Washington Capitals (+8000)

Alex Ovechkin is probably within two seasons of passing Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goals record, and he'll be the only reason to watch for the imminent future.

23. Nashville Predators (+7500)

The Predators may be the first team so far with a chance to make a dark-horse run to the playoffs. General manager Barry Trotz, head coach Andrew Brunette and goalie Juuse Saros provide reason to hope.

22. Detroit Red Wings (+7500)

Maybe they're ready to move up a level and challenge for a playoff berth, but it feels an awful lot like another year on the Yzerplan treadmill.

21. Vancouver Canucks (+6000)

Like the Predators before them, it wouldn't be a shock to see the Canucks sneak in to grab a playoff spot. Elias Pettersson and an improved defense are plusses.

20. Winnipeg Jets (+5000)

The most pressing question for the Jets is how long free agent-to-be Connor Hellebuyck will stay put. But the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade did add skill and depth.

19. New York Islanders (+5000)

A full season of Bo Horvat with Mathew Barzal and another season with Vezina Trophy runner-up Ilya Sorokin will make the Islanders competitive in a loaded Metropolitan.

18. Ottawa Senators (+4000)

No, the Cup isn't heading to Ottawa. But the Senators have a real chance at the playoffs after adding Vladimir Tarasenko and Dominik Kubalik to the top six.

17. Buffalo Sabres (+3500)

The Sabres have loads of promise thanks to loads of young talent and will race Ottawa to see who breaks through. Goaltending may be the Achille's heel, though.

16. Seattle Kraken (+3500)

From a 100-point season and a playoff series win to the outside looking in? It could happen in the Pacific Division if the Flames and Canucks spike and the goaltending falters.

15. Minnesota Wild (+3000)

Contenders to the left of them, no-hopers to the right. And here are the Wild, stuck in the middle. Kirill Kaprizov and a sound defense could yield a run, but not 16 games.

14. Calgary Flames (+3000)

It can't be that bad two years in a row, can it? They're hoping not in Calgary, where Ryan Huska will try to revive Jonathan Huberdeau after a lost year with Darryl Sutter.

13. Pittsburgh Penguins (+2800)

Could the arrival of Erik Karlsson get the old wheels rolling for a run at nostalgia? Maybe. It's a good price to take a flier, and if the goaltending is sound, who knows?

12. Los Angeles Kings (+2200)

Add the Kings to the list of teams that could fall in the first or make a deep run. There's a lot of solid NHL talent, leaving it to Cam Talbot and/or Pheonix Copley in net.

11. Tampa Bay Lightning (+2000)

The Lightning could make the Eastern Final on muscle memory, or they could be the first of 2022-23's playoff teams to miss. The 20-to-1 odds must be an emeritus thing.

10. Boston Bruins (+1600)

Having Vezina Trophy goaltending and defensive depth is a recipe for strength even after a bevy of departures for the Bruins. But they won't approach last season's heights.

9. Florida Panthers (+1600)

The Panthers could easily have missed the tournament last season before sneaking in and winning 13 games. Could it happen again? Sure. But it's highly unlikely.

8. Dallas Stars (+1400)

The Stars are the first team thus far with a legitimate chance to win it all. Their goaltending is strong, their front-liners are prolific and their coach is proven.

7. New York Rangers (+1300)

The Rangers went all-in with Tarasenko and Patrick Kane and were rewarded with a first-round bounce. But with Igor Shesterkin in goal, anything is possible.

6. Vegas Golden Knights (+1200)

They're the champs. They're obviously excellent. And a repeat would not be a jaw-dropper. But it doesn't happen often and the West is a competitive minefield.

5. Edmonton Oilers (+1000)

They still have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But having Mattias Ekholm for a full season and getting a Jack Campbell bounce back in net makes them a real threat.

4. Colorado Avalanche (+1000)

It would have been easy to find people banking on a Colorado repeat at this time last year. But injuries were plentiful and good luck was not. The Avs are just as good this year.

3. New Jersey Devils (+900)

The new kids on the block are in the penthouse after vaulting from 26th overall in 2021-22 to third overall in 2022-23. They have a real chance at a parade.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs (+900)

We're sure you're aware the Maple Leafs haven't won since 1967. But you should also know that they're loaded. If Joseph Woll is "that guy" in goal, the drought can end.

1. Carolina Hurricanes (+800)

They've won three straight division titles. They've reached the Eastern Final twice in five seasons. In fact, the only thing they haven't done lately is get within four games of a Cup. But heading into the opening puck drop, it's their championship to lose.