Betting preview: Canucks framed as 80/1 Stanley Cup sleeper despite recent turmoil

A New York Post betting preview on Monday identified the Vancouver Canucks as a potential long-shot pick for the 2025-26 Stanley Cup, listing the club as high as 80/1 at BetRivers while also highlighting coach Adam Foote at 25/1 to win the Jack Adams Trophy and Vancouver at +320 to hit 100 points.

The recommendation arrives after a turbulent 12 months for the franchise. Vancouver went from winning the Pacific Division in 2023-24 under coach Rick Tocchet to missing the playoffs in 2024-25 with 90 points. That downturn followed a string of disruptive events: star winger J.T. Miller took a leave of absence and was later traded to the New York Rangers amid reported friction with fellow star Elias Pettersson, Pettersson’s production fell to 45 points after back-to-back seasons of 102 and 89, and Tocchet chose to leave for Philadelphia. Rumors also have swirled about captain Quinn Hughes and a possible departure to New Jersey to join his brothers, creating further uncertainty around the club’s outlook.

Despite the off-ice headlines and a steep drop in the standings, the Post’s betting preview argued there is tangible on-ice rationale for treating Vancouver as a sleeper. The Canucks still feature high-end talent in Pettersson and Hughes and have depth pieces capable of contributing regularly. The defense, with Hughes as its anchor and the addition of Marcus Pettersson, is cited as a stabilizing factor. On offense, the club has proven scorers such as Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, Jake DeBrusk, Evander Kane and Nils Höglander, with Jonathan Lekkerimäki listed as a young player who could take a step forward in his second NHL season.

Goaltending is a central part of the value case. Thatcher Demko, when healthy, was widely regarded as among the NHL’s better netminders and posted a .913 save percentage in 182 games from 2021 through 2024. Injuries interrupted that run, but the Post noted Demko appears to be moving past those setbacks. Kevin Lankinen, acquired earlier, emerged as a capable complement and started for Vancouver last season, giving the Canucks a tandem that could rank among the league’s better duos if Demko stays healthy.

The preview also acknowledged legitimate reasons for caution. The Canucks’ center depth was flagged as a possible weakness, particularly if Filip Chytil struggles to maintain health. The upheaval surrounding Miller, Pettersson’s statistical decline in 2024-25 and the coaching change to Adam Foote create short-term uncertainty. The team’s fall from 109 points in 2023-24 to 90 the following season demonstrates how quickly fortunes can shift in a market that prizes recent form when setting futures prices.

For bettors, the Post suggested several ways to "buy low" on Vancouver beyond backing the Stanley Cup futures at long odds. Adam Foote at 25/1 to win the Jack Adams would benefit from the same premise: a rebound to near-100-point form would likely generate support for Foote in his debut behind the bench. The Post listed Vancouver at +320 to reach 100-plus points as an alternative target for bettors who see a rebound but think the Cup odds are too long.

Michael Leboff, the Post’s writer on the preview, is identified in the piece as a sports bettor with a decade of experience and a background in game-theory-oriented wagering. The article frames the Canucks as a classic contrarian play that pairs a recognizable roster and goaltending upside with degraded market expectations after an erratic season.

Sportsbooks’ early futures prices often reflect recent results and media narrative as much as underlying roster construction. Vancouver’s combination of top-end players, added defensive pieces and goaltending depth supplies the tangible elements bettors look for in a buy-low scenario, while the team’s recent off-ice headlines and coaching turnover supply the market skittishness that creates long-odds opportunities.

The Post’s preview concludes that while backing the Canucks for the Stanley Cup is a high-variance wager, the club’s current prices could reward bettors willing to look past last season’s collapse. It recommends treating Foote’s coaching odds and the team’s 100-point market as additional, potentially more attainable ways to capitalize on perceived value.

The New York Post article is the primary source for the odds and the analysis. Bettors should weigh injuries, roster moves and offseason developments before placing futures wagers and consider that market prices will shift as training camp approaches and the regular season nears.