Stanley Cup Odds & Betting Predictions

We are 18 weeks into the NHL season, and you have to say that a clear favorite has emerged from the pack, which is something that we will get into in just a moment. We have, though, seen this before, with one team or another winning the President’s Trophy in something of a canter before falling in the early rounds of the postseason. The playoffs in the NHL are a very different kettle of fish from the regular season, which can make picking the eventual winner that much tougher. Still, it’s fun to look ahead and try to figure out how things will go, so let’s take a look at the current Stanley Cup odds and try to break the teams into different groups.

Updated Stanley Cup Odds after week 18 (favorite, smart pick, long shot)

The Stanley Cup Favorites

Like we mentioned, there is one team that looks to be a cut above the rest right now. That would be the Boston Bruins, who have already amassed 83 points and have opened up a lead in the Eastern Conference that might be impossible to close. They are, to no one’s surprise, in as the favorites to win the Stanley Cup at odds of +480. If they continue to roll as they have been, those odds are going to shorten. In the Western Conference, it is the Colorado Avalanche who the bookies see as the team to beat. They are currently in at odds of +610, but they have not really been living up to their billing as favorites to win the West, as that conference is about as tight as it gets at the moment, with Dallas sitting with the best record.

The Stanley Cup Smart Pick

Okay, you do have to say that the Bruins look to be the smart pick right now, as they just keep finding ways to win. They have far and away the best record in conference games at 23-6-3, so you do have to wonder who can step up and beat them over 7 games. The smart pick in the Western Conference is a little tougher to figure out, mostly because no single team has really taken the bull by the horns in the way in which the Bruins have done in the East. If we look at just conference records, then it is the Winnipeg Jets (+2100), who immediately stand out. With those odds, though, you could just as easily have them in the longshots section.

The Stanley Cup Longshots

Okay, here s where things begin to get interesting. If you are looking at playoff experience, then the Tampa Bay Lightning (+1125) need to be in the discussion. If it’s simply looking for a team that could potentially give the Bruins some problems, then perhaps the Carolina Hurricanes (+730) could be a way to go, but are they really a longshot?

Over in the West, we have already talked about the Winnipeg Jets, but how about the Edmonton Oilers at odds of +1400? When you have the best player in the game taking to the ice every night, you always have a shot at winning. That said, the Oilers are going to need more from Connor McDavid’s surrounding cast if they are to make a deep playoff run.