The Chicago Blackhawks are the 2013 Stanley Cup champions, after a sensational late 3rd-period comeback that saw the Hawks snatch victory away from the Boston Bruins just as they were poised to force a Game 7. Hmm... didn't we just talk about stunning reversals of fortune here recently?

Anyway, no sooner does the quest for the 2013 Stanley Cup end, than the chase for the 2014 Stanley Cup begins. Starting tomorrow night, teams can buy players out of contracts in order to clear up cap space, and on Sunday, the NHL Draft will likely see a flurry of trade activity as GM's prepare for the free agency market, which opens on July 5th.

Naturally, the odds makers are ready to do business, and Bovada has laid out their initial odds for next year's NHL championship:

So, Nashville Predators fans, how do you like those odds? Personally, I think they're right about where I'd put them at this moment - 30/1 would represent an average NHL team's chance to win it all. Given the Preds' finish last season, and the likely influx of youth into the lineup up front, placing them just a notch below "average" seems about right.

Obviously we hope that a few holes get patched up and the team is ready to compete coming out of the gate this fall, but do these odds have you thinking about setting aside the mortgage payment and calling your bookie?