NHL Playoff Series Betting Previews, Odds, Picks & Stanley Cup Futures
The NHL Playoffs commence later tonight, and oddsmakers at SI Sportsbook have released series odds for all the matchups as well as various futures markets for the race to hoist the Stanley Cup.
Let’s dive in and take a deeper look at all eight first-round series and where the respected money in Vegas has arrived!
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(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
EASTERN CONFERENCE BETTING ODDS
Florida Panthers +275
Toronto Maple Leafs +450
Tampa Bay Lightning +550
Carolina Hurricanes +600
Boston Bruins +800
New York Rangers +800
Pittsburgh Penguins +850
Washington Capitals +1400
Atlantic Division Betting Odds
No. 1 Florida Panthers (-376) vs. No. 4 Washington Capitals (+275)
Head-to-head: Florida 2-1
The Florida Panthers are strong favorites to win not only their round series with Washington but also the Eastern Conference. The Panthers finished the regular season with the best goal differential (+94) in the NHL. Florida dominated the NHL in this important category mostly due to the efforts of Sergei Bobrovsky, who is 39-7-3. This season, Jonathan Huberdeau was sensational for the Panthers, ranking tied for second in the NHL in scoring (30 goals, 85 assists; 115 points).
Washington drew the short end of the stick, being paired with arguably the best team in the Eastern Conference in the first round. The Capitals, who still possess one of the best players in the NHL in Alex Ovechkin (50 goals, 40 assists; 90 points), will be hard-pressed to not lose this series in four or five games to the highest-scoring team in the NHL this season. In addition, Ovechkin injured his shoulder down the stretch and missed the final three games of the regular season. Just how healthy will he be against Florida?
No. 2 Toronto Maple Leafs (-125) vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning (+110)
Head-to-head: Tied 2-2
Toronto is led by 60-goal scorer Auston Matthews (106 points) alongside Mitchell Marner (35 goals, 62 assists; 97 points) and William Nylander (34 goals, 46 assists; 80 points). In between the pipes for the Maples Leafs is Jack Campbell (31-9-6, 2.64 GAA) who was solid in the regular season.
Tampa Bay offers solid value at odds of +550 thanks to all the veteran leadership and experience of the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champions. Steven Stamkos (39 goals, 64 assists; 103 points)leads the club in scoring, while Victor Hedman (20 goals, 65 assists; 85 points) is a rock on the Blue Line. Andrei Vasilevskiy, tied for the league-lead in wins (39), and comes in red hot winning his last four starts.
The Maple Leafs own the NHL’s best power play unit leaving special teams play as likely the deciding factor in this series.
Metropolitan Division Betting Odds
No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes (-125) vs. No. 4 Boston Bruins (-105)
Head-to-head: Carolina 3-0
The Carolina Hurricanes finished with the third-best goal differential (+76) in the NHL thanks to the stellar play of netminder Frederik Andersen finished the regular season second in wins (35) and GAA (2.17). However, he suffered a lower body injury late in the season and could potentially miss several games in the playoffs. Sebastian Aho (37 goals, 44 assists; 81 points) and Andrei Svechnikov (30 goals, 39 assists; 69 points) will be counted upon to be the anchors of the offensive attack for the Hurricanes.
Bettors have learned to never easily dismiss the Bruins in the playoffs as Brad Marchand (32 goals, 48 assists; 80 points), David Pastrnak (40 goals, 37 assists; 77 points) and Patrice Bergeron (25 goals, 45 assists; 65 points) are always up to the challenge.
No. 3 Pittsburgh Penguins (-125) vs. No. 2 New York Rangers (-110)
Head-to-head: New York 3-1
This could be one the playoff series where the oddsmakers have the wrong team favored. The Penguins, an aging club, still have one of the best players in the NHL in Sidney Crosby (31 goals, 53 assists; 84 points). However, the Penguins could be missing starting netminder Tristan Jarry, who was 34-18-6 with a 2.42 GAA in the regular season, as he deals with a broken foot.
The New York Rangers remain the best value play on the betting board to win this series and the Eastern Conference at odds of +800. Igor Shesterkin heads into the postseason as the best goalie in the NHL after leading the league in GAA (2.07), save percentage (.935), finishing second in shutouts (6) as well as sixth in wins (36). Chris Krieder was sensational in the regular season, finishing third in the NHL in goals (52). Artemi Panarin (22 goals, 74 assists; 96 points) led the club in scoring and the Bkueshirts possess even more firepower up front in Mika Zibanejad (29 goals, 52 assists; 81 points). Adam Fox, who finished fourth among all defenseman in scoring (11 goals, 63 assists; 74 pints), is a stud on the blue line.
Winslow Townson/AP
WESTERN CONFERENCE BETTING ODDS
Colorado Avalanche +130
Calgary Flames +300
Edmonton Oilers +800
Minnesota Wild +800
St. Louis Blues +1000
Dallas Stars +2000
Nashville Predators +2000
Los Angeles Kings +3000
Central Division Betting Odds
No. 1 Colorado Avalanche (-699) vs. No. 4 Nashville Predators (+450)
Head-to-head: Nashville 3-1
The Colorado Avalanche finished with the best overall record in the Western Conference and for good reason. Oddsmakers at SI Sportsbook have the Avalanche listed as the betting favorite to win the West at +130 just ahead of Calgary (+300). Mikko Rantanen (36 goals, 56 assists; 92 points), Nathan MacKinnon (32 goals, 56 assists; 88 points) and Nazem Kadri (28 goals, 59 assists; 87points) and are arguably the most lethal offensive trio in the NHL.
Nashville owns the second worst goal differential (+14) of any playoff team and that could be a real issue against a powerhouse like Colorado that scored the third most goals of any team in the regular season (312). Roman Josi (23 goals, 73 assists; 96 points), Matt Duchene (43 goals, 43 assists; 86 points) and Filip Forsberg (42 goals, 42 assists; 84 assists) will need to be at the top of their games to avoid the sweep in the first round.
No. 2 Minnesota Wild (-167) vs. No. 3 St. Louis Blues (+135)
Head-to-head: St. Louis 3-0
The Minnesota Wild have been a different team since goalie Marc-Andre Fleury arrived via trade from Chicago, The three-time Stanley Cup champion posted a stellar 9-2-0 record with a 2.74 GAA with the Wild. Kirill Kaprizov (47 goals, 61 assists; 108 points), Kevin Fiala (33 goals, 52 assists; 85 points) and Mats Zuccarello (24 goals, 55 assists; 79 points) give the Wild the grit and production needed for a deep postseason run. Minnesota was red-hot to close out the regular season going 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.
Vladimir Tarasenko (34 goals, 48 assists; 82 points), Robert Thomas (20 goals, 57 assists; 77 points), Pavel Buchnevich (30 goals, 46 assists; 76 points) and Jordan Kyrou (27 goals, 48 assists; 75 points) give St. Louis a consistent top four on the offensive end. Ville Husso (25-7; 2.56 GAA) was lights out down the stretch in between the pipes going 9-1-2.
Pacific Division Betting Odds
No. 1 Calgary Flames (-333) vs. No. 4 Dallas Stars (+240)
Head-to-head: Calgary 2-1
The Calgary Flames didn't just have one 40-goal scorer in the regular season, they had three. Johnny Gaudreau (40 goals, 75 assists; 115 points), Matthew Tkachuk (42 goals, 62 assists; 104 points) and Elias Lindholm (42 goals, 40 assists; 82 points) are playing at an elite level. Gaudreau (+64) and Lindolm (+61) finished 1-2 in plus/minus among all players in the NHL. Jacob Markstrom (37-15-9) has been a stalwart as the last line of defense ranking third in GAA (2.22) as well as sporting a league-best nine shutouts.
On paper, Dallas appears to be overnatched in this first round series with the Flames and oddsmakers agree listing the Stars as the biggest underdog among the four Western Conference matchups. Dallas is the ‘only’ team that finished with a negative (-8) goal differential among the 16 playoff teams and that is a serious issue against the powerful Flames.
No. 2 Edmonton Oilers (-250) vs. No. 3 LA Kings (+200)
Head-to-head: Edmonton 3-1
Edmonton possesses arguably the best duo in all of hockey in the league’s leading scorer Connor McDavid (44 goals, 79 assists; 123 points) joined by fourth leading scorer Leon Draisaitl (55 goals, 55 assists; 110 points).
Los Angeles is led by Anze Kopitar (19 goals, 48 assists; 67 points) and Adrian Kempe (35 goals, 19 assists; 54 assists). However, the loss of defenseman Drew Doughty for the remainder of this season due to a wrist injury is a massive blow to the Kings postseason chances.
James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
RESPECTED SERIES BEST BET
New York Rangers (-110)
RESPECTED SERIES ‘DOG PARLAY (Half Unit)
Tampa Bay (+110)
St. Louis (+135)
UPDATED ODDS TO WIN 2021 STANLEY CUP
Colorado +325
Florida +550
Calgary +700
Toronto +1000
Carolina +1000
Tampa Bay +1100
Boston +1600
NY Rangers +1600
Minnesota +1800
Edmonton +1800
Pittsburgh +2000
St. Louis +2200
Washington +3000
Nashville +4000
Dallas +5000
LA Kings +5000
Frankie Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program ever offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Frankie is SI Betting's Senior Analyst and provides his significant experience and resources in the sports betting scene. You can follow Frankie on Twitter @Frankie_Fantasy for his latest betting and fantasy insights from Las Vegas.
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