There’s nothing quite like NHL playoffs. Anything can happen on any given night, and underdogs come out of the woodwork to pull off massive upsets in games and series with regularity, making Stanley Cup futures a tough game.
The only thing you can count on is that there’s going to be mayhem in NHL betting all over North America before the 2016 Stanley Cup is ultimately lifted.
Odds To Win the Stanley Cup
Anaheim Ducks +900
Chicago Blackhawks +550
Dallas Stars +800
Detroit Red Wings +3500
Florida Panthers +1400
Los Angeles Kings +850
Minnesota Wild +3500
Nashville Predators +2200
New York Islanders +1400
New York Rangers +1400
Philadelphia Flyers +2660
Pittsburgh Penguins +850
San Jose Sharks +2200
St. Louis Blues +1000
Tampa Bay Lightning +1400
Washington Capitals +380
Odds on all 16 teams provided by BookMaker.euÂ
Stanley Cup Favorites: Washington Capitals
The Capitals are the deserving favorites in NHL playoff odds after winning the Presidents’ Trophy this year. The price of less than 4 to 1 might be off-putting to some, but let’s remember that this is the best team Alexander Ovechkin has ever had around him.
Braden Holtby has now had three playoff runs under his belt, and bringing in vets like Justin Williams and T.J. Oshie to help out for this specific time of year could pay big-time dividends. Plus, the East is relatively weak as we see it this season, as the real powerhouses lie in the West.
The Stalwarts: Kings and Blackhawks
The Kings and Blackhawks are the two favorites in the West due to the fact that, between the two of them, they’ve won each of the last four Stanley Cups. The pedigree cannot be denied, but the argument could be made that both teams are weaker this year than they’ve been before.
Sure, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are tough outs in the postseason, and as long as Jonathan Quick is still in the playoffs, he’s one of the toughest goalies to score on, especially in late game situations. But the value just isn’t there as we see it.
L.A. is only the No. 2 seed in the Pacific, and Chicago is the No. 3 seed in the Central and will have to start on the road in St. Louis. Look elsewhere for good value for sure.
The Most Overhyped: Tampa Bay Lightning
Let’s not misspeak when talking about Tampa Bay. This is a team that could’ve won the Stanley Cup this year.
The Lightning, though, are without Steven Stamkos, likely for the rest of the season, Mattias Ohlund is on IR, Anton Stralman has no return date from his leg injury, and it’s anyone’s guess if Tyler Johnson, Victor Hedman or Ryan Callahan will start in the playoffs or not.
That’s a lot of firepower and a lot of question marks on the injury front. The Bolts do get a break with Detroit in the first round of the playoffs, as the Wings probably have the worst side in the field, but still, that price of 14 to 1 isn’t good enough, knowing that they could easily be around in the second season for just five or six games.
The Best Value: San Jose Sharks
We know that the Sharks don’t have the best history in the world, but Peter DeBoer has them playing defensive hockey for a change. They’ve got the goalie to lead them to the Promised Land in Martin Jones, and though Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton are getting long in the tooth, they can all still put the biscuit in the basket.
The role players on this team are just so much different now than they were before. San Jose is built on its toughness and not its speed and finesse, and that’s how it can do some damage.
This opening round series with the Kings will be tough for sure, but it’s a hurdle that can be cleared. If so, the rest of the board opens up for the Sharks, and at a price of better than 22 to 1, they shouldn’t be ignored in your Stanley Cup picks.
For more NHL playoff odds, check out the National Hockey League Odds Comparison page.
