Colorado, Tampa Bay, and Carolina enter the stretch run sitting close to the highest of the NHL standings and the Stanley Cup futures board, separating themselves from a crowded subject of contenders. With every membership monitoring among the many league leaders in factors share, aim differential, and underlying five-on-five metrics, this trio has established a transparent statistical edge that matches its brief costs to win the 2026 Cup.
Bookmakers and fashions nonetheless see a niche between this trio and the remainder of the league. Bet365 continues to checklist the Avalanche, Lightning, and Hurricanes within the shortest tier of costs, reflecting each present kind and the statistical profiles of their key skaters and goalies. The names and numbers backing these costs assist clarify why the market has been so cussed in preserving these three on the entrance of the pack.
Colorado Avalanche: MacKinnon Driving A Loaded Core
Colorado’s standing because the main favourite begins with Nathan MacKinnon’s MVP-level season. By means of 51 video games, MacKinnon has 38 targets and 50 assists for 88 factors, averaging 1.73 factors per recreation and carrying a plus-minus within the mid-40s. He leads the group in all main offensive classes and ranks close to the highest of the league in each targets and factors.
The assist behind him is substantial. Martin Necas has produced 22 targets and 40 assists for 62 factors in 51 video games, giving Colorado a second high-end play driver able to dealing with high competitors and second-unit power-play duties. From the blue line, Cale Makar has 15 targets and 41 assists for 56 factors in 51 video games, sustaining greater than a point-per-game tempo whereas logging heavy minutes and driving transition from the again finish.
Colorado’s depth scoring additionally holds up. Brock Nelson has 27 targets and 19 assists for 46 factors, offering ending in the midst of the lineup and on the facility play. Artturi Lehkonen provides 17 targets and 21 assists for 38 factors and a very good plus-minus, contributing robust two-way minutes and forechecking stress. Veterans like Brent Burns and Josh Manson chip in from the blue line, with Burns at 8 targets and 17 assists and Manson including 4 targets and 17 assists whereas main the group in penalty minutes.
Staff-wide, the Avalanche combines this manufacturing with top-end underlying numbers. They sit close to 4 targets per recreation, rank among the many league leaders in pictures per recreation, and suppress possibilities properly sufficient to keep up a robust aim differential. That mix of star energy, depth, and territorial dominance is precisely what Cup favorites often appear to be at this stage of the season.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Kucherov And Vasilevskiy Maintain the Window Open
Tampa Bay’s case is constructed round a well-recognized pairing: elite scoring from Nikita Kucherov and dependable goaltending from Andrei Vasilevskiy. Kucherov leads the Lightning with 26 targets and 54 assists for 80 factors, comfortably pacing the group in each targets and assists whereas driving one of many league’s most harmful energy performs. His playmaking on the half-wall and imaginative and prescient by way of seams stay central to Tampa’s offensive id.
Behind Kucherov, Tampa’s ahead group continues to offer layered manufacturing. The Lightning have a number of forwards monitoring within the 40–60 level vary, providing sufficient scoring throughout the highest 9 to keep away from turning into a one-line group. Their energy play stays a power, with Kucherov’s distribution supported by a net-front presence and a degree shot that retains penalty kills trustworthy.
In aim, Vasilevskiy stabilizes Tampa’s whole profile. Over 33 appearances, he holds a goals-against common simply above 2.00 and a save share round .920, numbers that place him among the many most dependable starters within the league this season. He has confronted properly over 800 pictures already and continues to offer high-end shot-stopping, particularly in high-leverage conditions and penalty-kill minutes.
Staff-wise, Tampa’s general targets in opposition to sit under 2.50 per recreation, with opponents allowed greater than a aim per recreation, larger than that in opposition to Lightning shooters. That hole highlights how usually Tampa wins the battle on each ends of the ice when Kucherov and Vasilevskiy are on the ice. The query is much less about whether or not the core continues to be elite and extra about whether or not they can keep wholesome and contemporary by way of one other lengthy spring.
Carolina Hurricanes: Aho, Jarvis, And A Balanced Assault
Carolina’s place within the high three comes from a mix of territorial management and a extra balanced scoring image. Sebastian Aho leads the Hurricanes with 52 factors, on 17 targets and 35 assists, once more serving as the first driver at middle. His skill to deal with high matchups, win attracts, and generate offense in all conditions anchors Carolina’s high line and energy play.
Seth Jarvis has emerged because the membership’s main aim scorer with 23 targets, including sufficient assists to remain close to the highest of the group’s factors checklist. His scoring contact on the wing offers Carolina the ending menace it has generally lacked in earlier seasons when possibilities didn’t at all times translate into targets. Past Aho and Jarvis, the Hurricanes function a number of forwards within the teenagers in targets and 30-plus factors, contributing to a deep, wave-based assault.
The blue line additionally performs a significant position. Carolina’s protection corps strikes the puck effectively, restricts high-danger possibilities, and retains pictures to the surface. Newer additions and rising gamers like Okay’Andre Miller, with 4 targets and 18 assists, reinforce a gaggle that may log heavy minutes and nonetheless drive play ahead. The group’s general aim differential sits comfortably optimistic, powered by robust five-on-five metrics and respectable particular groups.
Carolina’s particular groups mirror this steadiness. The ability play sits within the low 20-percent vary, whereas the penalty kill tracks round 80 p.c, stable if not spectacular numbers when mixed with their underlying dominance in shot share and anticipated targets. If the Hurricanes can proceed to transform possibilities at a better charge and get regular goaltending, their statistical profile aligns properly with a severe run at lastly breaking by way of to a championship.
Why These Three Keep On High
The frequent thread for Colorado, Tampa Bay, and Carolina is obvious: every has a authentic MVP-caliber ahead, not less than one elite defenseman or goaltender, and sufficient depth scoring to resist accidents and matchup video games in a seven-game collection. Their data by way of late January replicate that blend, as does their sustained presence atop fashions and the futures board.
Colorado leans on MacKinnon, Makar, and a deep supporting forged that drives possession and offense at an elite charge. Tampa depends on Kucherov’s playmaking and Vasilevskiy’s goaltending spine to maintain its window open regardless of an growing old core. Carolina continues to overwhelm groups with tempo and construction, led by Aho, Jarvis, and a cellular blue line.
Because the season strikes towards the commerce deadline and playoff positioning, any main damage, hunch, or roster transfer may nonetheless shift the chances. For now, although, the names and numbers on the high of those three rosters clarify why the market continues to deal with them because the clearest favorites to raise the Stanley Cup in 2026.
