The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs are underway.
Ultimately the players on the ice will decide who lifts the Cup, but some franchises have proven more prepared for playoff hockey in recent years. It’s hard to figure out why some teams, year after year, continue to win in the postseason despite coaching and personnel changes, but there are undeniable trends.
To help inform your playoff hockey bets, we’ll break down the best playoff teams and players from the last 15 years. While some of the top playoff performing teams aren’t in the 2022 playoffs, there are plenty of clutch trends to take note of.
Check out our NHL futures pages to see updated Stanley Cup odds and lock in your NHL postseason bets today:
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Best NHL Playoff Teams: Betting Trends
| Team | Record | Win Rate | Betting Profit ($100 Unit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 83-57 | 59.3% | +$1562.53 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 80-57 | 58.4% | +$931.15 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 38-28 | 57.6% | +$151.37 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 61-49 | 55.5% | +$738.83 |
| Boston Bruins | 90-73 | 55.2% | +$328.86 |
Results as of May 1, 2022, via Odds Shark data services
It’s no surprise that the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning have been the best playoff performing team over the last decade and a half. What is of note, however, is just how much money they’ve won bettors.
Despite only a marginally better win percentage than some of the other top teams, the Lightning have been easily the most profitable team in recent playoff memory (+1,562.53 for $100 bettors).
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Stanley Cup Playoff Home Advantage
| Team | Record | Win Rate | Betting Profit ($100 Unit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Blackhawks | 48-20 | 70.6% | +$1154.44 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 38-20 | 65.5% | +$260.53 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 22-12 | 64.7% | +$165.76 |
Results as of May 1, 2022, via Odds Shark data services
None of the teams in the 2022 playoff bracket have been the best home teams over the last 15 years, but the regular season’s best Western Conference squad has a home record worth noting. The Colorado Avalanche have the sixth-best home playoff record over the last 15 years (20-14) with a 58.8 percent win rate.
The Avs had a 32-5-4 home record during the season (the third-best record in the league), so betting on Colorado in Denver seems like a great bet. You can lock in an Avs bet when they’re at home at any of our top hockey betting sites:
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Clutch Teams: Game 7 Playoff Records
| Team | Record | Win Rate | Betting Profit ($100 Unit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Blues | 4-0 | 100% | +$1562.53 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 4-0 | 100% | +$931.15 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 3-0 | 100% | +$450.0 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 1-0 | 100% | +$136.0 |
Results as of May 1, 2022, via Odds Shark data services
The three best recent Game 7 performers are all in this year’s playoff bracket, so keep these teams in mind if series come down to the wire. The Kings and Blues won some huge Game 7s on their way to recent Stanley Cup wins. But the Carolina Hurricanes have been unable to turn clutch play into a title in the last 15 years.
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Playoff Heroes To Bet On:
| Player | Points |
|---|---|
| Sidney Crosby | 89 |
| Evgeni Malkin | 87 |
| Joe Thornton | 59 |
| Alexander Ovechkin | 59 |
| Claude Giroux | 55 |
Results as of May 1, 2022, via Odds Shark data services
Over the last 15 years, the best individual playoff performer is former Red Wings winger Henrik Zetterberg. Before this year’s playoffs, Zetterberg had two more postseason points than Crosby’s 89 in the last 15 years.
Among active players, it’s the usual suspects atop the playoff scoring leaderboards. If you’re looking for some scoring props, Claude Giroux is a proven playoff performer who has been dynamite since joining a new team at the deadline. Since his trade to the Panthers, Giroux has 23 points in 18 games and scored in the first playoff game of the year.
How To Bet On The NHL Playoffs
You can bet on individual games and NHL player props, but one of the best ways to bet on the Stanley Cup playoffs is with a futures bet. At your sportsbook of choice, you’ll see Stanley Cup odds listed like this:
Tampa Bay Lightning +300
Carolina Hurricanes +450
Calgary Flames +500
Boston Bruins +800
If you believe that it’s the Hurricanes’ year, you can lay down $40 on the Canes to win the Cup. If they do win it all, you’d see a payout of $220 at the above odds – your original $40 is returned along with your winnings of $180.
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