Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

Don Cherry's Blunt Take on Early 2026 Stanley Cup Winner Prediction

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 7:52 AM ET

With the 2025 NHL season barely in the books, early betting odds for next year’s Stanley Cup have already been released, and fans are trying to pick the winner way ahead of time.

Those fans don't include NHL legend Don Cherry, however, who isn't ready yet to make such a bold prediction.

On Episode 313 of "The Don Cherry's Grapevine Podcast" on Sunday, Cherry was asked by his son, Tim, to pick an early favorite for the 2026 Stanley Cup amid a Q&A session with questions submitted by NHL fans.

“Well, nobody — nobody can do that,” Cherry said. “You have to see what happens in free agency. You have to see where the players go.”

Tim Cherry acknowledged Don's comment and offered some context on why his dad arrived at that conclusion.

Tim thinks that teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, who could lose star forward Mitch Marner, could look like contenders or pretenders depending on how the offseason shakes out.

“It's tough to say, because if Marner signs with the Leafs, you’d have to look and say — as we said earlier — they’re the second-best team in the league,” Tim said. “And all they do is, maybe, add some third or fourth-line guys, but if he leaves? You never know.”

"You can't tell, you can't tell," Don interjected.

For what it's worth, BetMGM has the Edmonton Oilers as the early favorite at +650, just ahead of the back-to-back champion Florida Panthers at +750.

The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, are buried down the chasing pack at +2000 while trailing the Oilers and the Panthers are Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, and Tampa Bay Lightning.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: