Oddsmakers still favor Chicago Blackhawks to win 2015 Stanley Cup

The salary cap ensures that the Blackhawks won't boast the depth on opening night that they do today, but that hasn't stopped one bookmaker from setting the 2014 Western Conference finalists as the favorites to capture the 2015 Stanley Cup. In fact Bodog, the online gambling giant, likes the Hawks better today than it did back in early July

A brush with the salary cap ensures that the Blackhawks won't boast the depth on opening night that they do today, but that hasn't stopped one bookmaker from installing the 2014 Western Conference finalists as the favorites to capture the 2015 Stanley Cup.

In fact Bodog, the online gambling giant, likes Chicago better today than it did back in early July in the wake of free agency, bumping them from 7/1 to 13/2. The Blackhawkis were one of four teams whose odds improved over the course of the summer. The Wild, the Lightning and the Canadiens were the others.

The most noteworthy change on today's line was the preseason darling Stars dropping from 18/1 to 20/1—someone must have finally realized that Sergei Gonchar and Jordie Benn are still a big part of the blue line in Dallas. Extreme front office makeovers and adherence to the Church of FancyStats could not save the Canucks and the Maple Leafs from dropping down to 40/1. 

And while Bodog doesn't say so, it looks like they have the Sabres, the Flames, the Panthers and the Predators in a dead heat (75/1) for the Connor McDavid sweepstakes.

Here's a look at those numbers, along with Bodog's line on conference and divisional titles:

TEAM  ODDS ON 7/9/14CURRENT ODDS

Chicago Blackhawks                             7/1                    13/2

Los Angeles Kings       9/1                    9/1

Boston Bruins                                       10/1                  10/1

Anaheim Ducks            12/1                  12/1

Pittsburgh Penguins                              12/1                  12/1

St. Louis Blues                                      12/1                  12/1

San Jose Sharks           14/1                  14/1

Minnesota Wild           18/1                  16/1

New York Rangers         16/1                  16/1

Tampa Bay Lightning                            18/1                  16/1

Colorado Avalanche        18/1                  18/1

Montreal Canadiens        20/1                  18/1

Dallas Stars                                         18/1                  20/1

Detroit Red Wings       22/1                  22/1

Philadelphia Flyers                               28/1                  28/1

Columbus Blue Jackets                        33/1                  33/1

Toronto Maple Leafs                            33/1                  40/1

Vancouver Canucks                              28/1                  40/1

Washington Capitals                             40/1                  40/1

Edmonton Oilers           50/1                  50/1

New Jersey Devils        50/1                  50/1

Carolina Hurricanes          66/1                  66/1

New York Islanders          50/1                  66/1

Ottawa Senators             50/1                  66/1

Arizona Coyotes            50/1                  66/1

Winnipeg Jets                                       50/1                  66/1

Buffalo Sabres                                      75/1                  75/1

Calgary Flames                                     75/1                  75/1

Florida Panthers              75/1                  75/1

Nashville Predators          66/1                  75/1

Odds to win Eastern Conference           

Boston Bruins                                       3/1

Pittsburgh Penguins                              5/1

New York Rangers                                15/2

Tampa Bay Lightning                            15/2

Montreal Canadiens                              17/2

Detroit Red Wings                                 10/1

Philadelphia Flyers                                14/1

Columbus Blue Jackets                         16/1

Toronto Maple Leafs                              20/1

Washington Capitals                              20/1

New Jersey Devils                                 28/1

Carolina Hurricanes                               33/1

New York Islanders                                33/1

Ottawa Senators                                    33/1

Buffalo Sabres                                       40/1

Florida Panthers                                    40/1

Odds to win Western Conference        

Chicago Blackhawks                             7/2

Los Angeles Kings                                5/1

Anaheim Ducks                                     6/1

St. Louis Blues                                      6/1

San Jose Sharks                                  15/2

Minnesota Wild                                     9/1

Colorado Avalanche                             10/1

Dallas Stars                                         11/1

Vancouver Canucks                              22/1

Edmonton Oilers                                   28/1

Arizona Coyotes                                   33/1

Winnipeg Jets                                       33/1

Calgary Flames                                     40/1

Nashville Predators                               40/1

Odds to win Atlantic Division 

Boston Bruins                                        7/4

Tampa Bay Lightning                             4/1

Montreal Canadiens                               9/2

Detroit Red Wings                                  6/1

Toronto Maple Leafs                              8/1

Ottawa Senators                                    10/1

Buffalo Sabres                                       16/1

Florida Panthers                                    16/1

Odds to win Metropolitan Division      

Pittsburgh Penguins                               9/4

New York Rangers                                 7/2

Philadelphia Flyers                                11/2

Columbus Blue Jackets                         13/2

Washington Capitals                              7/1

New Jersey Devils                                  9/1

Carolina Hurricanes                               12/1

New York Islanders                                12/1

Odds to win Pacific Division   

Los Angeles Kings                                7/4

Anaheim Ducks                                     11/4

San Jose Sharks                                   9/2

Vancouver Canucks                              15/2

Edmonton Oilers                                   9/1

Arizona Coyotes                                   10/1

Calgary Flames                                    14/1

Odds to win Central Division  

Chicago Blackhawks                             7/4

St. Louis Blues                                      3/1

Minnesota Wild                                     11/2

Colorado Avalanche                              11/2

Dallas Stars                                          15/2

Nashville Predators                               12/1

Winnipeg Jets                                       12/1