Boston Bruins

We will take a look at Atlantic division first and that is where the Bruins a re sitting on the top of the table. They are enjoying a streak of seven victories in a row and with a total of eight defeats from 27 matches, they are one of the best sides in the league. Boston’s defence is one of the best in the competition, having conceded less than 2,5 goals per match in average. Their away performances are as good as the home ones and the Bruins are holding firmly the top position in their division. A lot of bookmakers see them as the top favorites for winning the Stanley Cup after their latest performances, however the season is very long, and things are changing quickly. Their roster hasn’t changed much in compare to t he past season and that might be the main advantage of the Bruins.

Washington Capitals

Another highly rated team is putting very good performances so far as they are sitting on the top of Metropolitan Division. The Capitals are having a three-win streak and along with the Bruins, they have been the most dominant team in the Eastern Conference so far. Although they are not too focused on the defence, their attacking force is the most productive in the competition. If they manage to tighten up the defence despite Matt Niskanen’s and Brooks Orpik’s absence, they will be a major treat to other contenders in the battle for the Stanley Cup. Washington Capitals are playing very well away from home where they have suffered only three defeats in 14 outings. In the last five away matches, the Capitals have tasted a defeat only once. Bookies also see them as one of the major favorites with the odds around +1000.

St. Louis Blues

St. Louis Blues are ruling the Central Division and they are currently ranked as the fourth favorite for lifting the Stanley Cup. They celebrated three wins in a row and dafter two straight defeats the Blues managed to get back on winning track. They managed to keep pretty much the same team as in the last season with the addition of Justin Faulk. However, the player who was the most influential person both on and off ice, Pat Maroon, joined Tampa Bay and we will see how the Blues will manage to handle his absence especially when it comes to the main battles later in the season. St. Louis Blues are the best side in the Western Conference so far and they are putting excellent displays both in front of their crowd and when playing away from home. The price offered by the bookmakers is currently around +1200.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Although they have been considered as the top favorites before the season actually started, the things are not going as per expectations for Tampa Bay. They are in a pretty bad series of three straight defeats which saw them declining to the 6th position in the Atlantic Division. The start of the campaign was pretty bad, but they managed to consolidate lately. However, the consistency is the main problem for Tampa Bay and they need to stabilize their form in order to remain in the race for the trophy at the end of the season. Last time, they were the most dominant team in the regular season, bagging 62 victories, however, they managed to win only a half of 24 matches played so far. Tampa Bay Lightning need to tighten up their defence and try to reach the last season’s level before too late. They are not too far from the playoffs zone, while the bookies are still ranking them pretty high with the odds of +1000.

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers are one of the overachievers this season as they are sitting on the top of Pacific Division. Although they were supposed to have a disappointing campaign, Edmonton are still holding themselves pretty high in the division, while they are also the second-best side in the Western Conference. Despite their defence being not too tight, their surprisingly efficient attack is keeping them on the top of the division. Although they are not performing very well in front of their fans, the Oilers are playing excellent when they are away from home. Still, the bookmakers don’t see them as a major threat for the Stanley Cup battle as they are rated at +1600.

New York Islanders

New York Islanders managed to break their poor streak of three defeats in a row and they are still behind Washington Capitals in the Metropolitan Division. However, as they’ve played four matches less than their main opponents, they still have the chance of getting to the top of the division. Despite their not too efficient attacking line, the Islanders’ defence is the best in the entire league as they are conceding just a bit more than two goals per match in average. They are in a good streak of four victories at home, where they are playing generally well, but the Islanders need to improve their away performances. The majority of bookies will give you the price of +1400 if New York Islanders are your pick for lifting the Stanley Cup.