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Las Vegas tabs Pittsburgh Penguins early favorites to win Stanley Cup in 2018

By The Sports Xchange
Fans celebrate the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-0 win over the Nashville Predators for the Stanley Cup as they stream out of PPG Paints Arena on June 11, 2017 in Pittsburgh. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI
Fans celebrate the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-0 win over the Nashville Predators for the Stanley Cup as they stream out of PPG Paints Arena on June 11, 2017 in Pittsburgh. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo

The Pittsburgh Penguins barely had started their celebration for winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship before Las Vegas tabbed them as favorites to capture their fifth time in franchise history in 2017-18.

The Penguins became the NHL's first repeat champions in 19 years on Sunday when they posted a 2-0 victory over the Nashville Predators in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

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One day later, Pittsburgh received 8-1 odds to win next year's Stanley Cup, according to Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas. The Penguins feature two-time reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sidney Crosby as well as superstar forward Evgeni Malkin, who led the recently completed postseason in points.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals and Edmonton Oilers, who have superstars of their own, are listed at 10-1, followed by the Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews-led Chicago Blackhawks at 12-1.

Nashville, which received 14-1 odds, ousted Chicago in the first round before advancing to the Western Conference final and Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history. The Predators are joined by the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars with those odds.

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Now, should you be interested in a long shot, feel free to consider the Vegas Golden Knights. The expansion club received 200-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup.

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