NHL Teams Defying the Stanley Cup Odds This Season

The NHL is known for its unpredictability. Every season, a few teams rise above expectations, challenging conventional wisdom and shaking up the Stanley Cup odds. This year is no different. 

As the 2025/26 campaign unfolds, several franchises have flipped the script, transforming weaknesses into defining strengths and establishing themselves as genuine threats. Among them, three stand out for their dramatic turnaround: the Seattle Kraken, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Montreal Canadiens.

Each of these teams represents a unique story of adaptation and resurgence. Whether it’s through sharper defense, cohesive playmaking, or newfound confidence, their early success is redefining how fans and bettors alike view this NHL season.

Seattle Kraken: Structure, Stability, and a Winning Identity

The Seattle Kraken are rewriting their narrative this season. After struggling in the previous campaign, they’ve emerged as one of the most organized and defensively reliable teams in the NHL. 

Their transformation is rooted in discipline, every player contributing to a structure that prioritizes puck control, tight spacing, and transition balance. This new approach has paid off, with their goals-against average improving significantly, dropping from 3.20 to 2.80 per game.

For bettors, the Kraken’s resurgence offers a compelling storyline. Despite modest preseason expectations, they now routinely outperform teams that were once considered favorites. 

Their resilience and consistency make them a potentially attractive underdog pick when evaluating the Stanley Cup odds. Seattle’s performance signals a shift in the Western Conference, demonstrating that well-executed defensive hockey can overcome more flashy offensive systems.

With the Kraken finding their stride early, they’ve become a reminder that strategic evolution often trumps raw talent when it comes to long-term NHL success.

Columbus Blue Jackets: From Rebuild to Rising Force

The Columbus Blue Jackets have taken one of the most surprising leaps in the NHL this season. Identified as the most improved team, they’ve elevated their performance to a level few anticipated. 

The Blue Jackets’ total of 89 points in the 2024/25 season was a dramatic increase from just 66 points in the 2023/24 season and showcases their newfound balance and cohesion.

Columbus is thriving by combining defensive discipline with opportunistic offense. They capitalize on turnovers, transition quickly, and sustain pressure in the offensive zone, all signs of a team that has matured beyond its rebuilding phase. 

For fans tracking Stanley Cup odds, this kind of progression is hard to ignore.

Their consistent play has shifted them from a long shot to a legitimate contender for the playoffs. What’s even more impressive is how they’ve maintained composure in tight games, often controlling pace and rhythm against more vigorous opponents. 

The Blue Jackets are proving that confidence and chemistry can tilt the ice just as effectively as star power.

Montreal Canadiens: Building Momentum from Bold Moves 

The Montreal Canadiens are one of the most talked-about teams this season, not for where they’ve been, but for where they’re heading. Known for their bold offseason adjustments, Montreal entered the season with a clear goal: improvement through balance. 

Their roster depth and renewed focus on two-way play have started to pay dividends, particularly in their puck movement and breakout efficiency.

While their offense garners attention, it’s their defensive resilience that defines their current form. The Canadiens are learning to manage high-pressure situations, turning close games into valuable points in the standings. For bettors assessing Stanley Cup odds, Montreal’s potential makes it an intriguing middle-tier option, capable of upsetting elite teams when it matters most.

Their challenge remains consistency. If they can sustain their defensive improvements through the latter half of the season, they’ll not only climb in the standings but could also emerge as one of the NHL’s stealth threats when the playoffs arrive.

How Deep Into the Season Will They Take Their Form

Sustaining early-season form is the actual test for any NHL team defying expectations. The Kraken, Blue Jackets, and Canadiens each face the same challenge of translating this momentum into playoff relevance. 

For Seattle, their disciplined structure is sustainable, provided their defense remains healthy and consistent. Columbus, riding a confidence wave, must maintain focus through the midseason grind, when fatigue and travel begin to weigh heavily. Montreal, meanwhile, needs to find a scoring balance across all lines to avoid streaky performances.

Analytics suggest that teams improving defensively early in the year tend to maintain that edge deeper into the season. However, keeping pace against rested top-tier opponents requires adaptability. 

Bettors should watch these teams’ special-teams metrics and five-on-five possession numbers, as these often predict whether an early surge will last. 

If all three continue evolving tactically, each has the foundation to remain competitive deep into the spring, potentially altering how the NHL postseason picture unfolds.

Bettor Takeaway: Reading Between the Lines

For sports bettors, the rise of these underdog NHL teams presents both opportunity and caution. The Stanley Cup odds shift frequently based on trends, injuries, and performance streaks. Yet the real value lies in understanding the story behind the numbers. 

Seattle’s defensive discipline, Columbus’s newfound structure, and Montreal’s depth-driven playstyle all offer advantages in specific betting markets.

Live betting and puck-line strategies become particularly profitable when applied to teams that stay within tight scorelines, something all three excel at this season. 

Rather than chasing favorites, bettors should focus on consistency metrics like shot suppression, penalty-kill efficiency, and road performance.

The common thread among these teams is their resilience, the ability to stay competitive regardless of the opponent. 

That trait, often underestimated by oddsmakers, makes them ideal picks for value-driven wagers. For those watching the NHL closely, these teams embody the balance between risk and reward that defines informed betting.

Thriving on Unpredictability

The NHL thrives on unpredictability, and this season proves it once again. The Seattle Kraken, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Montreal Canadiens are rewriting the script, challenging expectations, and redefining what success looks like in professional hockey. 

Their growth, rooted in discipline and adaptability, not only fuels fan excitement but also reshapes the betting landscape.

For bettors and enthusiasts alike, the message is clear: underestimate these teams at your peril. As the season deepens, their sustained improvement could transform the postseason race and further disrupt the established league hierarchy.