Stanley Cup Odds: Current Favorites and Dark Horses Picks

Throughout the course of a long 82-game season in the NHL, we see teams rise and fall as they go through winning streaks and losing skids on their way to the playoffs. It’s the teams who can keep those losing runs to a minimum who end up becoming the favorites in the eyes of the bookies, and with the playoffs now just around the corner, it might well be the perfect time to take a look at the current odds and try to figure out where your money might be well spent. We’ll start out by looking at a few of the Stanley Cup Betting favorites before digging a little deeper to uncover a few teams that might make some noise in the postseason.

Updated Stanley Cup Odds, Picks, Favorites & Dark Horses to Bet On | NHL Betting

Stanley Cup Favorites

While the odds for each team do tend to fluctuate throughout the season, the Colorado Avalanche (+330) have been the apple of the bookies eye from start to finish. They currently hold the best record in the NHL and are close to securing the President’s Trophy. If there is a knock on this team, it is that they have failed to deliver the goods in the playoffs over the last few seasons. Still, it’s hard to argue against them as being the favorite.

The Florida Panthers (+440) are tied with the Avalanche for total points, but they have also played a game more than the Avs. While we usually talk about the goaltending and defense of the Stanley Cup favorites, with the Panthers, it is all about their offense. They are the only team to have scored over 300 goals thus far and have the ability to blow any team out when they are on their game.

The Calgary Flames (+650) have arguably the best top line in all of hockey, but they don’t rely on them solely, as this is a deep squad that looks to be very tight. They also have a head coach who knows what it takes to win the Stanley Cup, so they look like a good pick at very decent odds.

Stanley Cup Dark Horses

There are some teams that fall just behind the favorites, such as the Carolina Hurricanes (+790) and the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning (+960), not to mention the Toronto Maple Leafs (+930). All three of these teams could be considered a dark horse, but I think we need to go a little deeper to find the true dark horses of the postseason. In reality, would anyone be surprised if any of those three teams went to the Final?

In terms of true dark horses, I think there are a couple of teams that we should be paying attention to. The first of these is the New York Rangers (+1425), who are finishing the season strong and who have already racked up 100 points. They are among the leaders in goals against, which is always a potential sign of a team ready to make a run.

Another team worth keeping an eye on is the Edmonton Oilers (+2000). In Connor McDavid, they have the best player in the game right now. This is an offensively gifted team, but their play on defense at times does give me some pause.

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