2025-2026 NHL Stanley Cup Betting
So far in the 2025-26 season, the NHL has shown a level of parity that many other leagues would envy.
Certainly, the salary cap has long been a factor in the NHL, creating a host of legitimate contenders. But this year, the compressed Olympic schedule adds to the potential for parity.
Because of the February Olympic break that lasts nearly three weeks, the NHL is cramming in games to avoid ending with a Stanley Cup presentation on July 4.
As a result of the condensed schedule, teams often find themselves fatigued and out of gas. On the right night at the perfect moment, a good team will routinely lose to a lesser team.
Additionally, there are good NHL teams that gamblers can’t quite get a feel for. At times, the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Rangers look good enough to make a serious run. On the other hand, they are still not dominant enough to fully trust.
Hockey Betting Lines
Rangers at Bruins Odds and Preview
TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, will host the Boston Bruins vs. New York Rangers matchup on Saturday, January 10, 2026. Faceoff time is at 1 p.m. ET with television coverage on ABC.
Drop the Puck on NHL Action
From the opening faceoff to the final horn, the ice heats up fast. Bet on every NHL game at BookMaker—moneylines, puck lines, totals, player props, and live odds all season long.
* Trusted by sharp bettors for over 30 years
* Early odds, fast payouts, and Bitcoin betting
* Live betting and mobile-optimized sportsbook
* Don’t just watch the action — bet on it!
* Sign Up Now and wing into action with your NHL picks today!
NHL Future Market Update and Teams to Watch
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are the best team not to make the Stanley Cup Final. Dallas is coming off three consecutive Western Conference Final appearances—each time they earned 106 or more points with a win percentage of no less than .646. Head coach Pete DeBoer paid with his job after last year’s Western Conference Final debacle, in which he melted down in the decisive fifth game.
With DeBoer getting the boot, an old friend returned to Dallas for a second tour of duty as head coach. Glen Gulutzan was outgunned in his first tour of duty with the Stars and then faced the same dilemma as head coach of the Calgary Flames. But this time, Gulutzan has the horses to make for a serious Stanley Cup run.
Dallas is playing well under Gulutzan, with a 25-9-7 record and a .695 win percentage. But in the NHL, the real deal is the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Playoff hockey is an entirely different sport from regular season hockey. And that is where DeBoer was judged, just as Gulutzan will be judged.
Dallas is showing tremendous balance and 200-foot completeness as a team. The Stars rank 3rd in goals scored, 2nd in power-play efficiency, 5th in fewest goals against, and 6th in penalty killing.
Dallas has a trio of forwards who can light the lamp and keep them in contention. RW Mikko Rantanen leads Dallas with 16 goals, 40 assists, 56 points, and a +3. LW Jason Robertson adds 24 goals, 24 assists, 48 points, and a +15. And then C Wyatt Johnston brings 20 goals, 26 assists, and 46 points.
On the blue line, D Miro Heiskanen brings seven goals, 28 assists, 35 points, and a +4. Additionally, Heiskanen is one of the top power-play quarterbacks in the NHL with 13 assists.
Most importantly, Dallas is getting reliable goaltending. Jake Oettinger has a 2.57 goals against average and a .907 save percentage. His record is 16-7-3 with two shutouts. Casey DeSmith has a 2.44 goals against average and a .912 save percentage. His record is 9-2-4 with one shutout.
Dallas opens a 6-game road trip on Tuesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. That is followed by a Wednesday night game against the Washington Capitals and a Saturday night game against the San Jose Sharks.
New York Rangers
When Mike Sullivan was hired as head coach of the New York Rangers, he was touted as the missing piece of the puzzle.
Sullivan led the Pittsburgh Penguins to two Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017 in a career that ran from 2015-16 through last season. But Sullivan missed the playoffs in his final three seasons as Pittsburgh ran out of gas.
Ironically enough, the Penguins are in playoff position while the Rangers are not. After making the 2024 Eastern Conference Final, the Rangers were touted as a Stanley Cup favorite last year. Instead, they failed to make the playoffs, and that poor play has continued for much of Sullivan’s first year.
The Rangers rank 31st in the NHL for goal scoring.
Could it be that New York is overrated?
Did You Know?
At BookMaker, we go beyond just providing top-notch sports betting options! Take advantage of these exclusive features and rewards:
BookMaker ATM Card for seamless transactions: Easily access your funds with the BookMaker ATM card, providing instant access to your winnings and secure transactions wherever you go.
Loyalty Levels & BetPoints Programs for additional rewards: Earn BetPoints as you bet, and unlock exciting perks at higher loyalty levels. The more you play, the more you earn!
Seasonal and Reload Bonuses to maximize your earnings: Stay ahead with seasonal promotions and reload bonuses, boosting your bankroll throughout the year.
Early Cashout Option for added flexibility: Cash out your bet early and lock in profits or limit losses—putting you in control of your wagers.
Free Crypto Payouts for fast and secure withdrawals: Enjoy fast, secure withdrawals with zero fees when you choose crypto payouts.
Open Play Option for unique parlay betting: Get creative with your parlays using the Open Play option, offering more ways to win.
Casino Promotions & Contests for extra fun and wins: Join in on exclusive casino promotions and contests, adding excitement to your betting experience.
8% Cash Back on all your horse racing bets: Place horse racing bets and get 8% cash back on your losses, making it easier to bounce back.
Explore all these benefits and more at BookMaker!
Betting Rules & Policies
Free Play Rules
- Free plays cannot be used on proposition bets.
- Free Plays do not earn any BetPoints™
- Bets made using Free Plays do not count towards completing any rollovers. (Free Plays are always subject to a rollover of their own. You must complete the required rollover prior to making a withdrawal).
- The maximum payout for any Free Play is $5,000.
- Free Plays that are left unused for 180 days will be removed from your account.
ROLLOVER
- Did you know that on all deposits made at BookMaker, there is a rollover requirement: an amount of betting action you must fulfill before you are eligible to make a withdrawal.
- Did you know that rollovers are calculated by multiplying the amount initially credited to your account a certain number of times? Yes! If you deposit without claiming any bonus, the rollover will always be 1x (one-time) your deposit amount. If you do claim a deposit bonus, the rollover will be higher and is based on the deposit plus bonus amount.
Wager disputes (claims)
If you disagree with any aspect of a wager you’ve placed, you are welcome to log an official dispute (commonly known as a “claim”). Claims must be reported no later than 15 (fifteen) calendar days following the settlement of the wager.
If following an initial review of the case there remains any doubt regarding the wager type, line, market, amount, or any other detail, the claim will be escalated to the BookMaker management team. All decisions made by them are final.
Wager Cash Out - How it works
With the Cash Out feature you can choose to eliminate a wager that's already been placed, and receive back either a portion, or your full stake amount.
Cash Out is selectively available on certain events, fixtures, and markets.
In order to see if a wager is eligible to be cashed out, simply navigate to your Bet Slip and check the 'My Open Bets' tab. If eligible, the Cash Out button will be displayed.
It’s also important to note that Cash Out is not contributing to any bonus or promotion including Bet Point accumulation and Rollover for releasing bonus cash.
