The NHL regular season is finally complete and the business end of the season begins. This is when teams will be playing at their absolute peak, but some will emerge stronger than others as every series has to have a winner and a loser.
With so many teams priced up as favorites at the top-rated online sportsbooks, it’s going to be even harder to predict who can come out on top in the 2023/24 playoffs. To make matters even more interesting we have the reigning champions (Vegas Golden Knights) and some big franchises such as the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs all priced up at NHL betting odds between +1200 and +1400.
Key Facts
- Four of the favorites to lift the cup are all priced at the same odds, meaning there is no clear favorite heading into the first round of the playoffs.
- The reigning champions the Vegas Golden Knights will have to overcome +1200 odds if they wish to retain their trophy in back-to-back seasons.
- Only four teams in the previous 10 years have won the Stanley Cup at odds of +1000 or more before the first round of the playoffs.
2024 NHL Stanley Cup
Below you will find the Stanley Cup odds courtesy of the top sportsbooks.
This post-season could be the best yet, it’s hard to hang your hat on one specific team, the second biggest outsiders (Winnipeg Jets) have the best goaltender heading into the playoffs whilst the biggest outsiders (Washington Capitals) have the league’s second highest (and soon to be highest) goalscorer of all time in Alex Ovechkin.
The 3rd biggest outsiders Vancouver have two players inside the top six for most assists in the regular season and Toronto has the league’s highest goalscorer.
Essentially if the bottom half of the odds table is throwing these at us, one can only imagine what sort of post-season could be on the cards. Strap yourselves in (tight) it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Eastern Conference Contenders
Carolina Hurricanes (+650)
The Carolina Hurricanes have made the playoffs every year since 2018, yet have not made it into the finals once. Last season they came into the playoffs as one of the favorites to lift the cup but came undone by the Florida Panthers in the Conference finals 4-0.
This time around they have brought in the cavalry, adding Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov at the trade deadline they have looked very strong ahead of the post-season and have gone on an impressive 13-4-2 run since their new signings.
This is likely the Hurricanes’ best chance yet to win a Stanley Cup, their style of hockey will suit the playoffs and they have an easy first-round matchup against the NY Islanders which they should win in 4 or 5 games.
New York Rangers (+800)
Although teams historically have not done so well in the post-season having won the presidents’ trophy (the last team to win the presidents’ trophy and Lord Stanley was the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013) we believe the NY Rangers have a legitimate opportunity this season.
Their team is strong defensively and their goaltending is up there with one of the best, offensively they get the job done.
Overall we just need to see some more grit and tenacity from them in the playoffs as they have lacked this in previous years. Facing the Capitals in round one should be a breeze and failing to overcome Ovechkin and co. would be a disaster in the fans and owners’ minds.
Western Conference Contenders
Dallas Stars (+800)
The Dallas Stars have a revenge job in round one of the playoffs as they face off against the team that knocked them out of the conference finals last season, none other than the reigning champions the Vegas Golden Knights.
That said, the Golden Knights aren’t as strong as they were last season and the Stars have a home-ice advantage in this matchup. If the Stars can beat the Golden Knights in round one, well then those +800 odds could look more like +450 as theirs not many other teams in the Western Conference whom the Stars will fear.
They have a good balanced team and although Colorado and Edmonton are tough cookies, they can still emerge victorious against both in our opinion.
Winnipeg Jets (+1600)
It’s unlikely the Winnipeg Jets can go all the way but they do need an honorable mention because we love riding a hot goaltender and theirs is legitimately one of the best in the NHL, if not the best. Connor Hellebuyck is one of the best at winning games for his team and if he gets hot during the post-season don’t be surprised to see the Jets win a few games and those +1600 odds will drop rapidly. They might not win it all but Hellebuyck can carry them far, to the semifinals at least if he has to do most of the carrying.
*The line and/or odds in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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