Should You Bet on the Pittsburgh Penguins to win the 2026 Stanley Cup?

After going 6-4-0 in their last ten games, the Pittsburgh Penguins have stamped their ticket to the playoffs, securing one of the three automatic qualifying spots in the Metropolitan. Their resurgence on defense helped spark their turnaround this season, giving them the production they need to be a well rounded contender capable of making a deep run in the bracket.

Pittsburgh Penguins to Win Eastern Conference?

Since the start of the regular season, the Pittsburgh Penguins front line have been able to thrive, ranking near the top of the board in Expected Goals For in All Situations and in 5-on-5 Play. Their versatility and depth has played a major role in their success this year with six players generating more than 0.25 Expected Goals.

To help compliment their offense, the Penguins back line have been able to round back into dominant form, fielding a unit who ranks above league average in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. With their back line elevating their level of play this season, the Penguins have been able to reduce the amount of variance in their contests, increasing their chances of winning.

The Penguins are not without flaws though as their goaltending still holds them back from being a championship contender. Since the trade with Edmonton, Stuart Skinner has not been able to find his footing, averaging nearly three Goals Against per game and a .889 Save Percentage. A stunning low level of play when factoring in the coverage he receives from his back line.

Luckily for the Penguins, Skinner’s struggles in net will not result in an early exit, drawing the likes of Philadelphia, Washington, or Columbus in the first round, all groups who have at least one glaring weakness on one side of the ice. Should Skinner be able to use the first round to build up some momentum, then any progression will improve their odds of making a run.

Especially when their quality of opponent is expected to ramp up in the later rounds, most likely needing to go through Carolina and Tampa Bay to win the Eastern Conference Championship. If you have followed along our playoff series and already have a position on the Lightning and Hurricanes to win the East, then place a small wager on the Penguins to round out your portfolio.

Best Odds: Pittsburgh Penguins to win Eastern Conference

Pittsburgh Penguins to Win Stanley Cup?

Assuming Skinner can round back into form and help propel the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals, then they would most likely face off against the Colorado Avalanche, the betting favorite to win the title. A daunting matchup for the Penguins as the Avs back line would give their offense fits, ranking near the top of the board in Expected Goals Against in All Situations.

Their advantage in net is also a major area of concern for the Penguins hopes of winning it all, possessing two goalies who rank in the top-10 in average Goals Against per game. With Scott Wedgewood and MacKenzie Blackwood both firing on all cylinders, the Avs can rotate their goalies throughout the playoffs, keeping their legs fresh in the later rounds to help avoid regression.

With Wedgewood and Blackwood expected to sustain their high level of play in the finals, then the Penguins width of their shooting lanes in front of the net will narrow, especially once wear and tear rears its ugly head. Any drop off in production will be the final nail in the coffin, making it near impossible for them to match the Avs output, leaving them prone to falling quickly behind on the scoreboard.

In the off chance the Avs are unable to make it to the finals, then the Penguins odds of winning the title will skyrocket, drawing a much more favorable matchup for them to exploit. The Dallas Stars front line have harshly regressed over the past few weeks of play while the Edmonton Oilers have severely underwhelmed on defense. The Vegas Golden Knights are more well rounded, yet their front line has struggled to string together their performances.

If you already have positions on the top contenders, add the Penguins to your portfolio with intentions of hedging if they face off against the Avs in the finals. If Colorado goes down beforehand, then the massive shift in odds will create some more options for us to play around with depending on who they match up against.

Best Odds: Pittsburgh Penguins to win Stanley Cup

Any Pittsburgh Penguins Players to Win Conn Smythe?

While all eyes will be on Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust has quietly been one of the more productive forwards on the team, averaging 0.40 Expected Goals and 2.54 Shots on Goal per game. It is worth noting he is fresh off of an injury, making it worth monitoring to see how he performs this week before placing any sort of wager before the playoffs.

Another player to consider is Rickard Rakell, a versatile forward who leads the team in Expected Goals while generating nearly three Shots on Goal per game. Rakell has also nearly matched Rust’s output in Assists, showing he is capable of keeping the race for the award close if he can start to find the back of the net at a higher rate.

Skinner is also an intriguing option to add to the portfolio as any form of improvement will drastically alter the Penguins odds of winning, shining the spotlight brighter on him during their run. Still, his turnaround is wishful thinking at best at this point, making him a pass for now. Split a wager in half and place each one on Rust and Rakell to win with intentions of adding Crosby at some point as well.

Photo Credit: AP/Noah K. Murray