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Penguins favored to win Stanley Cup next year

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The Pittsburgh Penguins finally got to Pekka Rinne late in Game 6 as Patric Hornqvist's goal proved to be the game-winner as the Pens took home their second straight Stanley Cup title.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions in the NHL’s salary cap era. Now, can they accomplish a three-peat?

Not even 24 hours after defeating the Nashville Predators in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, clinching back-to-back championships, the Penguins have been listed as the favorites to win it all in 2018.

Their most recent opponent, the Predators, are further down the list at 14/1 to win the Stanley Cup next year.

From Bovada:

Pittsburgh Penguins 9/1
Chicago Blackhawks 12/1
Edmonton Oilers 12/1
Tampa Bay Lightning 12/1
Washington Capitals 12/1
Anaheim Ducks 14/1
Nashville Predators 14/1
Dallas Stars 16/1
Minnesota Wild 16/1
Montreal Canadiens 16/1
New York Rangers 16/1
Toronto Maple Leafs 16/1
Los Angeles Kings 18/1
Columbus Blue Jackets 20/1
San Jose Sharks 22/1
St. Louis Blues 28/1
Boston Bruins 33/1
Calgary Flames 33/1
Ottawa Senators 33/1
Florida Panthers 40/1
New York Islanders 40/1
Philadelphia Flyers 40/1
Winnipeg Jets 40/1
Arizona Coyotes 66/1
Buffalo Sabres 66/1
Carolina Hurricanes 66/1
Detroit Red Wings 66/1
Colorado Avalanche 75/1
New Jersey Devils 75/1
Vancouver Canucks 75/1
Vegas Golden Knights 150/1

It would definitely be a mountainous task to win three consecutive Stanley Cups. It hasn’t happened since the early 1980s, when the New York Islanders won four straight, before the Edmonton Oilers won five of the next seven.

The Penguins should certainly be a contender next year in the Eastern Conference. Core star players Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and Kris Letang are all locked into long-term contracts, and the first three aforementioned talents finished in the top three in playoff scoring this year.

Letang missed the playoffs due to neck surgery, but he could also be ready to go for the beginning of next season.

There is still plenty of work and plenty of decisions ahead for Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford. In addition to a decision on the future of goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh has 12 players on expiring contracts, including seven pending unrestricted free agents and five pending restricted free agents. The latter category includes notables Conor Sheary, Brian Dumoulin and Justin Schultz.

Related: Bargains in Murray, Guentzel could extend Penguins’ contending window