Should You Bet on the Anaheim Ducks to win the 2026 Stanley Cup?

By Kody Malstrom | Apr 03, 2026, 5:30pm

With Edmonton and Vegas struggling with their consistency, Anaheim has been able to hold on to the top spot in the Pacific, possessing a half game lead over the Oilers for first in the division standings. Winning the division title is vital for the Ducks as it would make their path to the Stanley Cup much more favorable, increasing their chances of winning it all.

Anaheim Ducks to Win Western Conference?

After re-tooling their roster in the offseason, the Anaheim Ducks front line have been one of the more explosive units in the league, ranking in the top-5 in Expected Goals For in All Situations and in 5-on-5 Play. The acquisition of Chris Kreider has played a major role in their resurgence by giving them some much needed firepower, averaging 0.32 Expected Goals per game.

While their offense has thrived, their defense has struggled to give them the production they need to be a well rounded unit, fielding a back line who resides near the bottom of the board in Expected Goals Against. With their back line struggling in coverage, this brings in a higher amount of variance into their contests, making it hard for them to pull away on the scoreboard.

To make matters worse for the Ducks, Lukas Dostal has fallen hard back down to reality after a hot start to the year, averaging 3.03 Goals Against per game and a .892 Save Percentage. With Ville Husso playing even worse while Petr Mrazek is out with an injury, the Ducks will be forced to lean on Dostal which is less than ideal when their quality of opponent is expected to ramp up.

Speaking of quality of opponent, the Ducks lack of production on defense will be on full display throughout the playoffs, needing to beat a combination of Edmonton, Vegas, Colorado, and Dallas in order to win the Western Conference Championship. A brutal path to the title when factoring in how well they play on offense, fielding a group of front lines who rank above league average in Expected Goals For.

If the Ducks are unable to win the division title, then their path gets even more unforgiving, kicking things off with a matchup against the Oilers or Golden Knights. Unless their defense and goaltending are able to round back into competitive form, then pass on the Ducks to win the Western Conference Championship as they are currently prone to an early exit.

Best Odds: Anaheim to win Western Conference

Anaheim Ducks to Win Stanley Cup?

In the off chance the Ducks are able to make a run to the finals, then they would be projected to battle it out against the Tampa Bay Lightning or Carolina Hurricanes, two high powered units who excel on both sides of the ice. The Ottawa Senators have also been getting hot at the right time, climbing up the board in Expected Goals For while leading the league in Expected Goals Against.

A matchup against any of the three previously mentioned contenders would be daunting as the Ducks lack the production on defense that is needed to slow them down, leaving them vulnerable to falling behind on the scoreboard with no hope of erasing the deficit. Especially in a seven game series, eliminating the chance of winning it all in a highly volatile singular contest.

Should the Ducks be able to face off against the likes of Buffalo, Boston, or Pittsburgh, then their chances of winning will skyrocket, battling it out against a club who also struggles to defend their net. Still, this would require the bracket to break out in their favor, making them a pass on the futures market for now until the bracket starts to shape up.

The status of Cutter Gauthier is also vital to the Ducks chances of making a run to the Stanley Cup, needing their stud forward healthy to help avoid regressing on offense. When at full health, Gauthier has been dynamic, averaging 0.38 Expected Goals and 3.71 Shots on Goal per game.

Luckily for Anaheim, Gauthier was able to avoid a serious injury and is expected to make his return to the ice over the weekend. How the Ducks will handle his time on the ice remains to be seen, making it worth monitoring with their chances of winning the Pacific division title hanging in the balance.

Best Odds: Anaheim to win Stanley Cup

Any Anaheim Ducks Players to Win Conn Smythe?

If the Ducks do make it to the finals, then that means Gauthier has been able to quickly round back into dominant form, making him the clear favorite to win the Conn Smythe for Anaheim. His current mark in Expected Goals and in Shots on Goal comfortably leads the team, shining the spotlight brighter on him during their run.

Rivaling Gauthier is Kreider who gets the benefit of the narrative, a former New York Ranger who joined the Ducks to help spark their turnaround on offense. Unfortunately for Kreider, his output is not nearly enough to rival his teammate on the stat sheet, averaging just 1.88 Shots on Goal per game.

With their goaltending struggling to play at a competitive level, pass on Dostal to win the Conn Smythe as the Ducks run to the Stanley Cup will fall on the shoulders of their offense. If you believe the Ducks are capable of winning it all, then diversify your portfolio by breaking up your unit, placing 0.75u on Gauthier and 0.25u on Kreider when markets open up.

Photo Credit: AP/Gregory Bull

Kody Malstrom

Kody is a professional sports bettor and sports betting journalist with eight years of experience in the industry. He covers a wide range of sports, including NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, MLB, and UFC. What started as a side gig has turned into a full time job, spending a majority of his time staring at odds screens and market movement. When away from the computer, Kody enjoys spending his time outdoors relaxing at the beach or golfing with friends.