NHL Top Favorites and Contenders Odds to Keep an Eye on Week 8 – 2024 Season

Favorites vs. Contenders: Understanding the Difference in Stanley Cup Betting

While both favorites and contenders have a chance to win the Stanley Cup, there are key distinctions between the two:

Favorites:

1. Stronger Odds:
   Favorites are teams with higher odds of winning the Stanley Cup, often due to their recent performance, roster strength, or historical success.
2. Consistent Performance:
   Favorites typically exhibit consistent performance throughout the season, making them reliable bets.
3. Higher Stakes:
   Betting on favorites often offers lower potential returns but higher chances of winning.

Contenders:

1. Longer Odds:
   Contenders have longer odds of winning the Stanley Cup, reflecting their underdog status.
2. Upset Potential:
   Contenders can surprise and outperform expectations, leading to higher potential payouts.
3. Riskier Bets:
   Betting on contenders involves more risk, but the potential rewards are greater.

When choosing between betting on a favorite or a contender, consider the following factors:

• Team Performance:
  Analyze each team’s recent performance, including their wins, losses, and playoff history.
• Injuries:
  Monitor player injuries that may impact a team’s performance.
• Home-Ice Advantage:
  Home-ice advantage can be a significant factor in playoff series.
• Betting Odds:
  Compare the odds offered by different sportsbooks to get the best value.

For more information on NHL odds, lines, and betting tips, check out our NHL News section.

Previous Betting News

It is still very early in what is a long NHL season, so it is probably not the time to start making bold predictions.

That said, we have seen enough games to start separating the contenders from the pretenders, keeping in mind that things can change rather quickly, especially if teams get sucked into an injury crisis.

My NHL Analysis

Hockey is a tough sport, and the Stanley Cup is arguably one of the most difficult to win, which is just a part of what makes this such a great sport to watch.

I am not quite ready to try and nail down the Stanley Cup winner just yet, but what we can do here is look at the current favorites in each conference to see how things might play out for them as the season progress, so let’s jump right in.

NHL Top Favorites and Contenders Odds in the Eastern Conference

Florida Panthers +480

Like we mentioned earlier, it’s a long road to the top of the mountain in the NHL, but the Florida Panthers have already proven that they have what it takes to do it, as they came into this season as the defending Stanley Cup champion. They have not really skipped a beat at the start of this season, posting a 9-3-1 record to take control of the Atlantic Division, albeit in the very early stages. They have been particularly hot of late, going 8-1-1 in their last 10 games, which is a pace that is going to be hard to maintain. The Panthers have scored 48 goals, but they have also given up 41, which is probably a little more than they would like at this point. All of that said, the Panthers still look like the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.

New York Rangers +490

Last season was a good one for the Rangers, but you can bet that they will still look at it as something of a disappointment. They made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final, where they ended up being ousted by the Panthers in 6 games. Losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion is certainly not a reason to feel any kind of shame but getting that close cannot feel particularly good. The Rangers are out to a very good start this season in what looked to be a very competitive Metropolitan Division. They have started the year with an 8-2-1 record, but that is still only good enough for 3rd in the division, which gives you a good idea of just how tough the Metropolitan is going to be this season. The Rangers have scored 44 goals and have been defensively sound, surrendering just 24.

Toronto Maple Leafs +630

The Leafs are a team that have been good for the past few seasons, but whenever they get to the playoffs, the wheels seem to come off altogether too quickly. It was very much that story last season, with the Leafs heading into the playoffs full of hope, only to fall at the first hurdle with a Round 1 loss to the Boston Bruins in 7 games. Th fact that we have all come to expect this from Toronto makes it very hard to even suggest that they could be in the hunt for a Stanley Cup. What you can say, though, is that the Leafs are a very decent bet in the regular season, and they are once again off to a solid start, going 7-5-2 to start the season, which leaves them sitting 2nd behind the Panthers in the Atlantic Division. Will this be the year they get the playoff monkey off their backs or is it simply going to be more of the same?

NHL Top Favorites and Contenders Odds in the Western Conference

Edmonton Oilers +420

When you have the best player in the world in your lineup, the expectations tend to be a little higher than most. That is very much the case for Conor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, who came close to winning it all last season, going down to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final. Getting that close has to serve as inspiration for the coming season, but the Oilers stumbled out of the gate. They are now in the process of finding their feet, but a 6-6-1 start to the season is not what we expected from this team, who might be suffering from a bit of a playoff hangover. What has perhaps been the most surprising aspect of this team in the early going is their lack of offense, managing just 31 goals through 13 games. I still believe that the Oilers will come good, but will they be as good as last season?

Dallas Stars +500

This is a team that made it all the way to the Western Conference Final last season, falling to the Oilers in the end. The Dallas Stars are stacked and look set to make another deep run this year, and they will certainly feel better about their chances if the Oilers continue to struggle. Dallas is out to a 7-4 start to the season, although that looks a little worse when you consider that they are currently on a 2-game losing skid. Like the Oilers, the offense has not been flowing in Dallas, as they have scored just 35 goals. On the flipside, they are one of the best defensive teams in the league, giving up just 27 goals to this point in the season. If defense does indeed win championships, then keep an eye on the Dallas Stars.

Colorado Avalanche +720

At the start of each season, we always have teams that come storming out of the gate, while others take a little while longer to get going. The Colorado Avalanche are very much in the latter category at the moment, going 6-7-0 to start the season, which has them down in 6th in the Central Division, well off the pace being set by the Winnipeg Jets, who have arguably been the best team in the league in the early going. The Avas have had no real problems scoring, banging in 46 goals thus far, but the fact that they have surrendered 54 goals is definitely a problem. I am adopting a wait and see attitude with this team for now.

Based on current odds, the two teams destined with the best chances of winning this year’s Stanley Cup reside in the Eastern Conference. The Carolina Hurricanes are the outright favorite to win it all at +650 odds. The Florida Panthers are second choice followed by Colorado, Dallas, Edmonton, and Vegas.

Which teams are the best bets to win their conference? Which squad is the best favorite and contender plays to win the Stanley Cup?

Check out current NHL Stanley Cup odds, analysis, and free picks for favorites and contenders in the East, the West, and to win Lord Stanley’s hardware.

Current NHL Stanley Cup Odds Top 2024 NHL Matches to Must Watch & Bet on Week 26 | MyBookie NHL

2024 NHL Season | 107th season of the National Hockey League
Stanley Cup: Saturday, April 20 – TBD

NHL Top Favorites and Contenders Odds, Analysis, and Predictions

Eastern Conference Favorites and Contenders

• Carolina Hurricanes +320
• Florida Panthers +340
• New York Rangers +450
• Boston Bruins +550
• Toronto Maple Leafs +700
• Tampa Bay Lightning +1000

The Eastern Conference is loaded with quality clubs. The outright chalk, the Carolina Hurricanes, are only -20 more favorites over Florida. The Panthers offer +340 while the Canes over +320 to win the East.

Will either succeed? It’s difficult to look past Sebastian Aho and his mates. The Hurricanes are as solid of a team as there is. They should manage to beat Florida in the playoffs this season and are a better pick than the Rangers because NYR relies way too much on Artemi Panarin.

As far as the contenders nod, it must go to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Although Tampa isn’t nearly as formidable as they have been in the past, the Lightning boasts more playoff experience than Toronto. So the odds difference between the two is significant.

NHL Eastern Conference Favorites Pick: Carolina Hurricanes

NHL Eastern Conference Contenders Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference Favorites and Contenders

• Colorado Avalanche +350
• Edmonton Oilers +450
• Dallas Stars +430
• Vegas Golden Knights +550
• Winnipeg Jets +750
• Vancouver Canucks +750
• Los Angeles Kings +1100

Colorado, Edmonton, and Dallas can win the West. However, the defending Stanley Cup champs have begun to pick it up. As of April 6, Vegas has won 7 of their last 10 matches. In the other 3 matches, the Golden Knights show a draw and just 2 losses.

The goal differential is much less than Dallas, Colorado, or Edmonton, but Vegas is a proven playoff commodity. The Knights will pick it up in the postseason, which is another reason they’re the favorites play to win the Western Conference.

We wish could go with the Kings, but after studying how teams are playing heading into the playoffs, it’s impossible to look past the Vancouver Canucks. All season long the naysayers have stated that Vancouver would implode. The Canucks haven’t. So at the decent contender odds of +750 to win the West, Vancouver gets the nod. 

NHL Western Conference Favorites Pick: Vegas Golden Knights

NHL Western Conference Contenders Pick: Vancouver Canucks

NHL Stanley Cup Favorites and Contenders

• Florida Panthers +700
• Carolina Hurricanes +700
• Colorado Avalanche +800
• Dallas Stars +850
• Edmonton Oilers +900
• Vegas Golden Knights +1100
• Boston Bruins +1300
• Toronto Maple Leafs +1400
• Vancouver Canucks +1400
• Winnipeg Jets +1500

This is Carolina’s year. Aho leads the team in every offensive category, but he’s not out of control, meaning although he is Carolina’s top player, he’s gotten help. That’s going to be important in the Stanley Cup Playoffs because Carolina is going to face the contender pick to win it all, Vancouver.

The Canucks are balanced. J.T. Miller leads the team in points with 97. Brock Boeser leads the team in goals with 39, and Quinn Hughes, one of the best defenseman in the NHL, lead the team in assists with 70. Vancouver’s balanced attack and ability to defend will give them a huge shot against Carolina in what should be an excellent Stanley Cup series.

NHL Stanley Cup Favorites Pick: Carolina Hurricanes

NHL Stanley Cup Contenders Pick: Vancouver Canucks

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?

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Previous Betting News

It is a race at the top of the NHL for the President’s Trophy and for the betting favorite to win the Stanley Cup. The Colorado Avalanche and the Florida Panthers are battling it out to see who can bring home the most points this season. It may not be the final battle we see between the two teams this season. 

Let’s take a look at some of the Stanley Cup Betting favorites and a few teams that could be a surprise in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year. 

Top Betting Picks and Teams That Could Surprise – Updated NHL Stanley Cup Odds

Colorado Avalanche +350

The Colorado Avalanche are tied for the most points in the NHL with the Florida Panthers, as mentioned above. Colorado has run away with the top spot in the Western Conference and will be the #1 overall seed in the Western Conference. 

Recently, the Avalanche had their nine-game win streak snapped by the Washington Capitals. There are six games left on the schedule for Colorado, three of which are divisional games. They are sitting comfortable but not out of the woods yet. 

This may catch you by surprise, but Nathan MacKinnon is not the points leader for the Avalanche. Mikko Rantanen leads the Avalanche with 91 points on the season in 73 games. Rantanen has scored 36 goals and added 55 assists on the season. 

The Avalanche have so many players that can hurt you, and they can score in a heartbeat. Colorado is looking for their first Stanley Cup since 2001. 

Florida Panthers +550

Arguably the hottest team in the NHL with 11-straight wins, the Florida Panthers continue to defy the odds this season. This season could have gone horribly wrong for the Panthers after firing Joel Quenneville. There was so much turmoil around the current team because of Quenneville and his years in Chicago, but that did not slow them down. 

The rest of the season is very important for the Panthers because of the Toronto Maple Leafs being within a distance of catching Florida. Toronto has 108 points on the season, just eight behind Florida with 116. 

Jonathan Huberdeau’s play this season has been astonishing with his 111 points. He has 81 assists on the year to help with his point total. Sergei Bobrovsky has been next to unstoppable on the season with a 37-6-3 record. 

Calgary Flames +900

While it may come as a bit of a surprise, the Calgary Flames have the third-best odds to win the Stanley Cup. They lead the Pacific Division by 10 points over the Edmonton Oilers. The Flames have won seven of their last nine games. 

Johnny Gaudreau leads the team in points this season with a total of 108 points. Matthew Tkachuk leads the team in goals with 39 on the year. Tkachuk is a rising star within the NHL and will be a name to watch for as the years go on. 

Teams To Watch

Tampa Bay Lightning +1100

The Tampa Bay Lightning are looking to make it three in a row as Stanley Cup champions. The most a team has ever won is five in a row by the Montreal Canadiens. It could be hard to bet against the back-to-back champions.

Carolina Hurricanes +1200

The Carolina Hurricanes are having a good season this year and are currently tied for first in the Metropolitan Division. The blocks have been built on through the last few years, and this could be the year that Carolina gets to the top.

Boston Bruins +1600

The Bruins are very solid this season and find ways to stay in and win games. They are officially without Tuukka Rask, which will be an adjustment when it comes to the postseason. 

St. Louis Blues +2200

The St. Louis Blues have one of the best offenses in the NHL. There are so many weapons that St. Louis can use to beat other teams, but it depends on the defense and goaltending for St. Louis the Blues.

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