Are the Winnipeg Jets or the Washington Capitals More Likely to Lift the Stanley Cup?
After a particularly grueling postseason, we’re moving ever closer to the NHL playoffs, with two conference leaders being the Winnipeg Jets and the Washington Capitals. Although the playoffs haven’t started yet – and so it’s difficult to predict who will remain standing at the end of them – certain fans are getting a little impatient! Already, bets are being made and the NHL odds are starting to heat up, with many placing their hopes on the teams at the top of the standings – those teams being the Jets and the Capitals. But which of these teams is more likely to lift the Stanley Cup, and is it even possible to predict the winner at such an early point?
Winnipeg Jets vs Washington Capitals
At the time of writing, the Jets are leading the Western Conference with a stellar 51-19-4 record, while the Capitals are firmly in control of the Eastern Conference at 47-17-9. Both teams, of course, have demonstrated incredible consistency throughout the season, and both are rightly seen as the strongest contenders for the Stanley Cup.
In terms of the Washington Capitals, however, the emphasis is a little more on them. Out of both teams, they’re the only ones to have already lifted the Stanley Cup in 2018, when they beat the Vegas Golden Knights in a superb 4-1 series victory. That win marked a historic moment for the franchise, with Alex Ovechkin and the team finally clinching victory after years of playoff disappointments, and the best thing about it is that it didn’t feel like a fluke.
On the contrary, the Capitals have been steadily building for years now, with players like Ovechkin and Kuznetsov doing their bit to keep the squad competitive against the very best. Although they have failed to back up that win in the last seven years, 2025 is looking like the year they could do it again. As mentioned previously, they’ve been an incredible team throughout this season, ruthless in attack and stable in defence, and as a result, the fans have certain expectations.
When it comes to the Winnipeg Jets, however, the expectations are far lower. Over the course of their history, the Jets have never won the Stanley Cup, and so they’re coming into this competition as relative Stanley Cup underdogs. This, in turn, might give them the fire they need to make an impact, offloading all of the pressure onto their rivals and potentially playing with even more freedom as a result.
Predicting the Winner
So is it possible to predict who will win at these early stages? Well, yes, but it’s difficult. The unpredictable nature of the playoffs means that any team – especially teams with a solid run of form or a few key players – can turn the tide, and so the competition is open for numerous contenders to break through. If we were forced to make a prediction right now, we’d say that the Jets are in with a very good shout. But as ever in this sport, no one knows what’s going to happen. And that’s why we love it so much!
Igor Burdetskiy
