Presidents’ Trophy Odds 2026-27: Who Will Have NHL’s Best Record?

With only a few weeks to go until the start of the 2026-27 NHL season, now’s a good time to preview the Presidents’ Trophy race. 

For the unfamiliar, the trophy has been awarded each year since the 1985-86 season to the team that finishes with the most points in the league. However, most NHL fan bases would tell you that they don’t want their team to win the Presidents’ Trophy. 

Since 2015, no team that has won the Presidents’ Trophy has even made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, and two teams have been eliminated in the first round. The conversion rate of regular-season title winners to champions is much, much higher in other sports. 

Last year’s Presidents’ Trophy winner, the Colorado Avalanche, lost in embarrassing fashion to the Golden Knights in a series they were heavily favored in. 

Here’s a look at which team has the best odds for the Presidents’ Trophy as of September 8.  

Presidents’ Trophy Odds 2026-27

2026-27 Presidents’ Trophy Favorites

The defending Stanley Cup champion, Carolina Hurricanes, are the lone favorite to win the 2026-27 Presidents’ Trophy. 

The Hurricanes finished with the second-most regular season points last season, with 113, only eight points shy of Colorado. Carolina was also the top team in the Eastern Conference. 

When the odds for this year’s Presidents’ Trophy, the Hurricanes shared a co-favorite status with the Florida Panthers. But, as the odds now reflect, Carolina is a much stronger horse to back in this race. 

If the Avalanche’s mid-season swoon had lingered slightly longer, we’d almost definitely be talking about the Hurricanes as the first dual Presidents’ and Stanley Cup trophy winner in a decade. 

The only slight question mark for Carolina is goaltending, which is an incredibly important factor in the Presidents’ Trophy conversation. Last season’s primary starting goalie, Frederik Andersen, left the Hurricanes to sign with the Edmonton Oilers on a one-year deal. 

However, last year’s backup Brandon Bussi is a good replacement for Andersen. Bussi had a 2.47 GAA and a .894 save percentage in 39 starts.