NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds and Early Predictions:
The Stanley Cup playoffs kick off on Saturday, April 19 and the first thing that catches my eye when you look at the odds board is that the top two teams in the league, the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals, both sit fourth on the odds board to win their respective conferences. The Jets have the seventh-best odds, and the Caps are eighth-best to win Lord Stanley’s Cup.Â
Winnipeg was a solid 15-9 against the Western Conference teams in the playoffs, including winning three of four against their first-round opponent, the St. Louis Blues. Washington was 14-9 versus the seven other Eastern Conference teams in the playoffs, including winning two of three against their first-round opponent, the Montreal Canadiens.
A couple of trends to keep in mind. It’s been five consecutive seasons that a team from Florida has represented the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals. Since 2009, only two teams that do not have a player who was selected first or second overall in the NHL Draft by their current team have won the Stanley Cup. Those two teams are the 2023 Vegas Golden Knights and the 2019 St. Louis Blues. Of the 16 playoff teams this year, six teams don’t have a player that they drafted first or second overall. Those teams are the Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets.
I will be providing an in-depth series-by-series breakdown the day before each series gets underway. For now, I am going to give my Eastern and Western Conference and Stanley Cup leans along with a couple of longshots.
Odds to win the Eastern Conference
Carolina Hurricanes +270
Florida Panthers +360
Tampa Bay Lightning +460
Washington Capitals +470
Toronto Maple Leafs +650 Â Â Â Â Â Â
Ottawa Senators +1300
New Jersey Devils +1600
Montreal Canadiens +2700
Odds to win the Western Conference
Colorado Avalanche +350
Vegas Golden Knights +430
Edmonton Oilers +460
Winnipeg Jets +470
Dallas Stars +550
Los Angeles Kings +750
Minnesota Wild +1700
St. Louis Blues +2000
Odds to win the Stanley Cup
Carolina Hurricanes +650
Colorado Avalanche +700
Florida Panthers +750
Vegas Golden Knights +900
Edmonton Oilers +950
Winnipeg Jets +1000Â
Tampa Bay Lightning +1000 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Dallas Stars +1100
Washington Capitals +1100
Toronto Maple Leafs +1500
Los Angeles Kings +1600
Ottawa Senators +3200
Minnesota Wild +3700
New Jersey Devils +3900 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
St. Louis Blues +4500
Montreal Canadiens +7000
Eastern Conference Leans and Longshot: Toronto Maple Leafs +650, Montreal Canadiens +2700
Western Conference Leans and Longshot: Vegas Golden Knights +430, St. Louis Blues +2000
Stanley Cup Leans: Toronto Maple Leafs +1500, Vegas Golden Knights +900
Stanley Cup Longshots: St. Louis Blues +4500, Los Angeles Kings +1600
Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP): Jack Eichel +1800, Anthony Stolarz +1800
Stanley Cup Matchup: Toronto Maple Leafs/Vegas Golden Knights: +3500
