The NHL regular season is over, which means that the playoffs are right around the corner. We don’t have to wait too long for it all to begin, with 5 opening round games set for Wednesday, with three more seeing the puck drop on Thursday. We will get into each of the match-ups in a separate piece, but for now, we want to take a look at some general betting tips for the playoffs as a whole. Where should your money for NHL betting be going, but perhaps more importantly, when should you keep your wallet in your pocket? Let’s jump right in and take a look at some betting tips for the 2019 NHL Postseason.
2019 NHL Postseason Betting Tips
What a regular season! 👏@86Kucherov breaking records, @ovi8 hitting 50 again and scoring up across the League. pic.twitter.com/8R3q7mhOw6
— NHL (@NHL) 8 de abril de 2019
Eastern Conference First Round Matchups
- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Columbus Blue Jackets
- Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs
- Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes
- NY Islanders vs Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference First Round Matchups
- Nashville Predators vs Dallas Stars
- Winnipeg Jets vs St. Louis Blues
- Calgary Flames vs Colorado Avalanche
- San Jose Sharks vs Vegas Golden Knights
President’s Trophy Does Not = Stanley Cup
Let’s start out by saying that the season that the Tampa Bay Lightning delivered was one for the ages, as they won the President’s Trophy for the best regular season record by a country mile. That said, we have seen teams light it up in the regular season only to fall apart when the postseason arrives.
In fact, there have been only 8 teams who have won the President’s Trophy and gone on to win it in the same season. While we are not automatically ruling out a very good Lightning team, history is not on their side here.
Playoff Experience Counts
It doesn’t really matter how a team gets into the postseason, just as long as they get there. You never know what might happen once the action begins, which is why we often see a dark horse team emerge. In many cases, those teams prove to be the ones that have performed well in the playoffs in the past.
A prime example of that this season would be the Pittsburgh Penguins. They have a tough opening round match-up with the New York Islanders, but they also have the benefit of a wealth of playoff experience, which is not something that you can say for the Islanders. In a tight series, playoff experience may prove to be the deciding factor.
Which Goalie Gets Hot?
It happens every single season. One goaltender emerges above the rest and takes his team on a deep run in the playoffs.
It can be argued that the Vegas Golden Knights got all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season thanks to the play of Marc Andre Fleury between the pipes. Who will be that guy this year? If you can figure that out, you might just be able to bag some real money during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Ride a Dark Horse
When you have a favorite as big as the Lightning are heading into this postseason, you also increase the chances of a dark horse emerging from the pack.
There are a few teams that could certainly fit the bill this season. The San Jose Sharks finished the season on the slide, but they are still a team that needs to be watched, so do Vegas. Let’s also not forget that the Washington Capitals are still the champions until someone takes them out. Pick a dark horse and ride them through the playoffs.
