The 82-game regular season is over and 16 teams have made the 2024 NHL playoffs. Now it's time to look at that bracket and see who hoists the most beautiful and the hardest trophy in pro sports to win.
It's Stanley Cup playoff time baby!
NHL playoff Picture
Playoff Series Betting Previews
Here are the betting previews we've got for each first round series matchups:
- Colorado Avalanche vs Winnipeg Jets
- Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Islanders
- Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs
- New York Rangers vs Washington Capitals
- Vancouver Canucks vs Nashville Predators
- Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning
- Edmonton Oilers vs Los Angeles Kings
- Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights
Eastern Conference Winner Odds
Looking at the oddsboard you'll notice that the New York Rangers, who lead the East and who won the Presidents' Trophy have the third-best odds to win the East. Why is that exactly?
| Teams | Odds |
|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | +300 |
| Florida Panthers | +350 |
| New York Rangers | +400 |
| Boston Bruins | +550 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +700 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +1200 |
| New York Rangers | +2200 |
| Washington Capitals | +6000 |
Odds as of April 17
Eastern Conference Favorites: Carolina Hurricanes
Look, I've long touted the Carolina Hurricanes as solid Stanley Cup favorites. That's because they've got just about everything going for them.
They have balanced scoring that isn't centered on just three players. Carolina gets 66% of its scoring from elsewhere in their lineup. That's the 10th-best rate in the league. So when opponents send out their best defensive players to shut down Carolina's most offensive group, they can count on the rest of the squad to score some goals.
Carolina's special teams are outstanding with the second-best PP% (26.9%) and the best PK (86.4%).
And with Pyotr Kochetkov in the net, Carolina is getting solid (though not elite) goal-keeping.
Carlina has it all.
Eastern Conference Value Pick: New York Rangers
So why aren't the New York Rangers at the top of the board? I know we all want to say it's because of the Presidents' Trophy curse, but it's not as if the books are going to make odds based on that.
It's likely due to the fact that New York is "meh" at 5on5. Through the season, the Rangers hold a +1 goal differential at 5on5. That's the 16th-"best" rate in the league. All of Toronto, Boston, Carolina, the Islanders, and Florida have a better 5on5 scoring differential.
New York needs the power play to get on the ice for any chance to win games (and at least three series). So, if you think the Rangers PP is going to get out there enough during the playoffs. New York would be a good value bet to make.
Western Conference Winner Odds
| Teams | Odds |
|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche | +350 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +380 |
| Dallas Stars | +425 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +550 |
| Vancouver Canucks | +750 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +900 |
| Los Angeles Kings | +1300 |
| Nashville Predators | +1800 |
Odds as of April 17
Western Conference Favorites: Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are 33-16SU (67%) against Western Conference opponents. Since December 29, that rate has been even better at 18-5SU (78%).
Having Makar, Rantonen and MacKinnon is a massive advantage. That's three of the top 10 scoring players in the past two playoffs (who've played at least 10 games). That trio has combined for exactly 100 in 27 games.
And now with goalie Justus Annunen stepping up big, the Avs have a stone wall between the pipes. The Finnish shot-stopped has the eighth-best goals saved above expected (per 60) in the league.
So, with elite scoring at one end and Annunen stopping goals from going in, and then Colorado's incredible record against Western foes, it's easy to see why they're favored.
Western Conference Value Pick: Winnipeg Jets
In the playoffs, goaltending matters a lot. And the Winnipeg Jets have the best in the biz with Connor Hellebuyck. The Husky has finished in the top 5 for the Vezina an incredible four times in his 9-year career. With a 0.921SV% and 2.39GAA this year, he's going to make that a fifth time.
Winnipeg also has incredible scoring depth with 68% of their goals coming from outside their top three players. Shut down Connor Scheifele, and Ehlers? Cool. The Jets still have Vilardi, Niederreiter and Perfetti to pop in a few goals.
How To Bet On The NHL Playoffs
There's way more than betting on Conference champions. We've got a ton of markets for you. Maybe you want to take your Conference Finals pick one step further and bet on the Stanley Cup odds. We'll also have you covered with daily NHL expert picks throughout the post-season.
As you follow along by tailing our picks or making your own picks to beat the books, make sure to check out our NHL Computer Picks page to support your handicapping.
