As the NHL season enters its end, thoughts naturally turn to the NHL Stanley Cup in 2021. Who will contest the championship game? 

As you might expect, the sportsbooks – typically considered amongst the sharpest of judges – are favoring teams from the stacked West Division, including the Colorado Avalanche and the Vegas Golden Knights.

Indeed, that duo are the favorites in the NHL betting odds, with the Carolina Hurricanes – looking as dangerous as ever – coasting to supremacy in the Central Division and considered another major player by the bookies.

Those prices suggest that the battle for the Stanley Cup is a three-horse race. However, there are some interesting underdogs and dark horses for the famous trophy and listed below are three of the most prominent contenders.

Toronto Maple Leafs

While the North Division is typically considered the weaker cousin to the West or Central divisions, that should not diminish the achievements of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the regular season.

At the time of writing, they top the standings and have opened up a nine-point lead on the Edmonton Oilers, and with such a healthy goal difference they seem almost a certainty for the post-season.

In Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, they have ancomparable offensive duo with the ability to light up any game, while the likes of Morgan Rielly and John Tavares continue to impress – albeit in a less eye-catching way. Then you have wildcards like Rasmus Sandin – a player of immense talent that could be a major factor in a playoff run.

At odds of +750, the sportsbooks are starting to warm to the Maple Leafs, and an almost confirmed position in the playoffs should give their backers plenty of hope.

New York Islanders 

While not the flashiest team from an offensive perspective, the defensive solidity of the New York Islanders makes them a danger in any straight knockout match.

And they should have some of those in the playoffs, because even though they still have work to do they are comfortably among the top-four teams in the East Division.

Only the Golden Knights have conceded fewer goals than the Islanders (in one less game). New York’s goaltender, Semyon Varlamov, remains amongst the best in the business.

Barry Trotz is one of the finest tacticians too, and the wily old campaigner is getting the best out of the likes of Ryan Pulock, Mathew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier.

They may not be the most extravagant team in the NHL, but the Islanders have some habits that make them tremendously difficult to beat all the same.

Edmonton Oilers

To win tough hockey games, you need players that can come up with moments of brilliance from nowhere.

In Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, that is exactly what the Edmonton Oilers have at their disposal, and that will make them so dangerous during the playoffs.

They have improved somewhat defensively too, with Adam Larsson and Darnell Nurse producing some big numbers during the regular season campaign, and if both facets of their game hold then the Oilers could prove to be a very dangerous outsider indeed.

But can either of these three teams go all the way, shock the NHL and win the Stanley Cup in 2021? Only time will tell.

John Smark