When this season’s Stanley Cup playoffs began, the general consensus was that it was as wide open a field as anyone could remember. The Washington Capitals started as the favorites, but given their playoff performances of the past, they never seemed like a good bet. The defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins also seemed like a good bet, but they have some injury concerns that might make them an iffy pick. After that, the betting was tight, and it has remained that way all the way through to the Conference Finals. We are a couple of games into those series, which is why we thought it might be a good idea to look at where the hockey betting is at right now.
Analyzing The Updated NHL Stanley Cup Odds & Betting Predictions (May 15th)
Pittsburgh Penguins (+160)
The defending champions remain the favorites even though they are a game down in the Eastern Conference Final. This is the first time that the Pittsburgh Penguins have been behind in a playoff series this year, but they certainly have the experience and the talent to pull back that deficit. It was believed that they would simply roll over the Ottawa Senators, and losing the opening game may not actually be a bad thing, as it will make this group aware that they are going to have to put in a better effort to move on. I think they will do so, and I also have them winning the Stanley Cup, a prediction I made prior to the start of the postseason.
