2024-25 NHL Presidents’ Trophy Odds and Predictions

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Betting on the NHL can be very lucrative. Just ask Scores & Stats own Sean Murphy who has a 68 percent win rate this season handicapping NHL games. There are plenty of NHL bets from which to choose, but one of the top futures is the Presidents’ Trophy.

Bettors are essentially wagering on the regular season champion. The 2024-25 Presidents’ Trophy goes to the team that collects the most points this season. Remember, teams are awarded two points for any win, whether it was in regulation play or overtime. Teams also receive one point for a loss in overtime or in a shootout. The team with the most points at the end of the regular season wins the President’s Trophy.

It’s a fun market to bet because bettors don’t have to pick the Stanley Cup champion. Teams that win consistently are easy to tail during the regular season. The only question for a bettor is when to pull the trigger on the team you like to win the Presidents’ Trophy.

Early in the season, there is always some value to find, but now that over half of the 82 regular season games have been played bettors can really dial it in when betting this market. As we’ll see, some things have changed since the puck dropped on that first night way back in October to start the 2024-25 NHL season.

Before we get to more on the 2024-25 Presidents’ Trophy, keep in mind that the NHL will take a break and begin playing the 4 Nations Face-Off. The tournament begins on Feb. 12 and runs through Feb. 20. The 4 Nations Face-Off takes the place of the annual NHL All-Star game.

What is the Presidents’ Trophy in the NHL?

The NHL Presidents’ Trophy was instituted by the Board of Governors just prior to the 1985-86 season. Prior to that season, the NHL allowed teams that finished with the best record in the regular season to hang a banner that said “NHL League Champions.”

As mentioned above, teams are awarded points for wins and overtime or shootout losses. These points are added up and the team the most is awarded the Presidents’ Cup. In the event of a tie, the team with the most wins in regulation play is given the award.

In the 37 seasons that the Presidents’ Cup has been awarded, only 18 teams have ever won it. No team has won more Presidents’ Cups than the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings have won the award six times. The Boston Bruins and New York Rangers are next with four wins.

Only eight times has the Presidents’ Cup winner gone on to win the Stanley Cup. The most recent team to do so was the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2012-13 season. The only team to win the Presidents’ Cup and the Stanley Cup in the same season and do it more than once is the Detroit Red Wings.

NHL Presidents’ Trophy Odds

Check out the latest NHL Presidents’ Trophy odds, courtesy of the top sports betting sites.

The 2024-25 NHL Presidents’ Trophy odds have shifted dramatically since opening. Edmonton opened the season as the favorite and the Oilers still have the best odds among the top ten teams on the early season board. However, two teams have overtaken the top two spots on the new February betting board.

Winnipeg, with an NHL-best 81 points as of Feb. 11, is second on the new board at +160 odds. Washington, which is 36-11-8 as of Feb. 11 and has 80 points, is the new favorite, given +125 odds to capture this season’s Presidents’ Trophy.

NHL Presidents’ Trophy Favorites

The following NHL teams are considered the odds-on favorites to win the Presidents’ Trophy:

Washington Capitals

The Capitals were an afterthought heading into the 2024-25 NHL season. In the Presidents’ Trophy race, they weren’t even in the discussion at the beginning of the season. The Caps didn’t make the top 20 on the Presidents’ Trophy betting board at the time.

Washington started this season by winning five of its first six and eight of its first ten games. That set the tone for what was to come. During a nine-game stretch in December, perennial All-Star Alexander Ovechkin went on a tear. He scored in six of the nine games and totaled 10 goals for the month. By the end of January, Washington was 34-16-6.

As of Feb. 11, the Caps are 36-11-8 overall and have a total of 80 President’s Trophy points. They are right in the thick of the race with Winnipeg. Washington ranks third in scoring and third in goals against. Of all of these Presidents’ Trophy favorites, the Capitals have the easiest schedule. They will play eight games against potential Stanley Cup playoff teams. The Caps play Carolina twice.

Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg is the biggest surprise of the 2024-25 NHL season. The Jets started the season with eight straight wins and didn’t lose their second game until mid-November. Winnipeg goes into the 4 Nations Face-Off break having won each of their last eight games. The Jets have the NHL’s best record at 39-14-3 for a total of 81 Presidents’ Trophy points.

With the best goaltender in the league – Connor Helleybuyck – the Jets will continue to pile up wins. Winnipeg does have a more difficult closing schedule compared to Washington. The Jets will play division rival Dallas once and conference rival Edmonton twice. Winnipeg avoids Minnesota and Vegas for the rest of the season.

The Jets are a rare breed in this day and age of modern hockey. With Hellebuyck in the net, the Jets are the best defensive team in the NHL allowing just 2.39 goals per game. They are equally as good on the offensive end. The Jets average 3.61 goals per game, tops in the NHL. They also convert on 33.3 percent of their power plays. That also is No. 1 in the league.

Edmonton Oilers

There are only two other teams that really have the opportunity to catch Washington and Winnipeg. It’s basically a one-or-the-other in the Presidents’ Trophy race. Edmonton, the early season favorite, and Vegas both play in the Pacific Division and one of the two is going to win it. The division winner will be the only team with a shot at winning the Presidents’ Trophy.

The Oilers have 27 games remaining in the regular season. Twelve of those games will be against potential playoff teams. Edmonton plays the Knights once more later in the season. The Oilers went 10-4 in January and they have arguably the two best players in the world – Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Both are among the top five scorers in the NHL. Draisaitl has 40 goals already and McDavid has 22.

Edmonton hasn’t actually won a division title since the 1986-87 season when a guy named Gretzky was leading the Oilers to five Stanley Cups in seven seasons. Edmonton has not won a Pacific Division title since the division was born into existence before the 1993-94 season.

Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas is in the same boat as Edmonton. The Golden Knights have 26 games left for the season and 12 of those will be played against elite NHL talent. It will come down to which, if either, team can go on a big run and somehow catch Winnipeg or Washington.

The Golden Knights weren’t given great odds at the beginning of the season (+1400) and now those odds have lengthened to +2500. Vegas heads into the break with a respectable 33-17-6 record and 72 points. Edmonton (34-17-4) also has 72 points at the break and both teams trail Winnipeg by nine points. Making up nine points can be done, but it is very difficult especially with the schedules that both Vegas and Edmonton have remaining.

Best NHL Presidents’ Trophy Betting Value

The following teams offer betting value to win the Presidents’ Trophy:

Winnipeg Jets

It’s hard to pass up the team with the best goaltender in the NHL right now. He is having one of the best seasons of any goaltender in the history of the league. But, it’s not just Hellebuyck for the Jets. They are outstanding on both ends of the ice. Winnipeg leads the league in scoring and Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor are among the top ten goal scorers and top 15 point scorers in the NHL.

The Jets power play is the best in the game…by far. About the only thing the Jets aren’t elite in is killing penalties. Winnipeg ranks in the middle of the pack (14th as of Feb. 11) in penalty killing percentage.

The Jets are listed at +160 right now and the way they’ve been playing, the only direction those odds are going is shorter. Don’t be surprised when Winnipeg is -110 or -120 to win. By locking them in now, you can create a better return.

Edmonton Oilers

Now, just because the Jets have the best record in hockey right now doesn’t mean they are a lock to win the Presidents’ Cup. All it takes is one look at last season. The Florida Panthers were a machine a year ago. On Feb. 11 last season, the Panthers were 32-11-9 and had 73 points. It appeared they were headed for a President’s Trophy.

The New York Rangers weren’t even in the discussion really at that point in the season. The Rangers were a respectable 33-16-3 with 69 points, but they would finish the season 22-7-1 and win the Presidents’ Trophy with 114 points.

That’s why there is value in at least one of the teams from the Pacific Division. The NHL experts here at Scores & Stats like Edmonton because of the duo of Draisaitl and McDavid. With these two scorers, it’s possible that the Oilers could go on a run like the Rangers did just last year. Edmonton does have a fairly difficult schedule, but they have the talent to make it happen. Edmonton is only nine points behind Winnipeg at the break.

NHL Presidents’ Trophy Longshot

It’s hard to see a team outside of Washington or Winnipeg winning the Presidents’ Trophy. However, as mentioned, if there are a few teams that could make a late run, two of them are Edmonton and Vegas. The Oilers are still given +850 odds, but Vegas is sitting at a much longer +1400.

If there is a longshot that could pull off a Rangers-like comeback from a year ago, it could be Vegas. The Golden Knights have been a playoff-caliber team in each year of their existence. Remember, they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in their first year in 2017-18. They’ve made the playoffs in all but one of their seasons thus far and they have a Stanley Cup trophy under their belt from 2022-23.

Currently Vegas is tied with Edmonton for the Pacific Division lead. The Golden Knights, as mentioned, have 72 points which leaves them nine behind Winnipeg. Like Edmonton, Vegas has a pretty difficult remaining schedule. The Knights do have several things going for them though.

Vegas is No. 2 on the power play and goalie Adin Hill, who will play for Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off, is having a solid year. He’s 20-10-4 with a 2.64 GAA and a .900 save percentage. Vegas plays great defense and that keeps teams in games. If you’re looking for a longshot bet for the President’s Cup, Vegas at +1400 is the Scores & Stats staff recommendation at this point in the season.

Who Will Have the Best NHL Record in 2024-25?

Our NHL experts at Scores & Stats really like Winnipeg for the Presidents’ Cup. There’s no time like the present to get in on the Jets. We have NHL picks like this each and every day of the season here at Scores & Stats. They opened the season outside the top 20 on the betting board and now they are down to +160 odds. Those odds are only going to get shorter as the Jets continue to win games.

This is the best scoring team and the best defensive team in hockey right now. Sure, there is plenty of hockey left to play, but the Jets are just dominating opponents. They won their last eight games in a row before the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Their first seven games after the break will be played against teams that will not make the postseason this year. Don’t be surprised if Winnipeg extends that winning streak.

The Jets do have two more games against Edmonton, but they did beat the Oilers in the season opener 6-0. They’ll face Washington – could it be a Stanley Cup preview – and New Jersey in back to back games in March, but the Jets can navigate this schedule. That’s why the NHL team at Scores & Stats likes the Jets to win the Presidents’ Cup at +160.

Best Bet: Winnipeg Jets (+160)

Recent Winners of the NHL Presidents’ Trophy