Stanley Cup Updated Odds

We are headed into the fourth weekend of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the odds that sports bettors were looking at when the puck dropped on the postseason back on April 20 need some serious updating.

New York Rangers (+330)

The New York Rangers won the President’s Trophy this season with an NHL-high 114 points, but they did not begin the playoffs as the favorite to win the Stanley Cup. Some of that was related to the history of the President’s Trophy winner. The last team to finish with the best record in the NHL and win the Cup was the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013.

The previous eight winners all lost in the second round or earlier.

New York began the playoffs at +800, but they are bucking history, and have now become the betting favorite, and appear to be a shoe-in to make the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Florida Panthers (+450)

The Florida Panthers have also seen their stock rise considerably midway through the second round. The Panthers began the playoffs at +700 to win the Cup, as they faced a challenging in-state first round series with the Tampa Bay Lightning, which they won in five games.

Their second round series with the Boston Bruins has started with two blowouts – one by each team. Boston won Game 1, 5-1, and the Panthers won Game 2, 6-1.

We also had a brawl at the end of Game 2, which will most certainly carry over into Friday’s Game 3.

Dallas Stars (+475)

On Thursday night, the Dallas Stars nearly let a second straight game slip away. They were up on the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1, 3-0, and ended up losing in overtime. In Game 2, they were up 4-0, and the Avs made it 4-3 and had a power play late before the Stars hung on to win.

They began the playoffs at +750, and were able to get past the Vegas Golden Knight in seven games. Now they are headed to Denver, where their dogfight with the Avs will continue on Saturday night.

Colorado Avalanche (+550)

Those Avalanche do need to figure out how not to fall behind if they want to keep moving through these playoffs. In their first round series against the Winnipeg Jets, they advanced four games to one. But in three of those wins, the Avs were behind.

Colorado was on the board at +800 to win the Stanley Cup when the playoffs began, and they are +550 today. But they were extremely lucky to get out of Dallas with a split of the two games. If they can’t protect the home ice over the next two games, they’re in trouble.

Edmonton Oilers  (+550)

The other team that is on the board at +550 is the Edmonton Oilers, who dispatched the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, and who are now playing the other Canadian team still alive in the playoffs, the Vancouver Canucks.

Game 2 is Friday at Vancouver, who were the comeback winners in Game 1. Which makes these odds, and the odds on the Canucks, quite interesting. Vancouver won the Pacific Division, finishing ahead of Edmonton. They are up on the Oilers 1-0 in this series. But Edmonton is the better bet to win the Cup, and they are -140 favorites to win this series.

When the playoffs began the Oilers were paying +800.

Boston Bruins (+950)

The Boston Bruins were +1100 when the playoffs began, and by virtue of moving into the second round following their win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, they are now at +950.

It’s been the tale of two performances in their two games with the Panthers. They were incredible in Game 1, winning 5-1.  Goaltender Jeremy Swayman had 38 saves and allowed just one goal.

The Bruins were terrible in Game 2, with Swayman allowing four goals on 23 shots on goal, which prompted his removal in the third period.

Vancouver Canucks (+1300)

The team that has been the most stable on the odds board is the Canucks, and that’s not necessarily a good thing when the +1500 you were paying when the playoffs began felt a little disrespectful. The Canucks finished with 109 points this season, they were a six-game winner over the Nashville Predators in the first round, and they are up on Edmonton, 1-0.

That should equal a jump to shorter odds than +1300. Instead, oddsmakers are still not sold on the Canucks.

Carolina Hurricanes (+3500)

When the playoffs began, the Hurricanes were the betting favorite to win it all. They were paying +650 to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup in June, and they were heavy -340 favorites to beat the New York Islanders in the first round.

The Canes dropped one game to the Islanders in double overtime, but otherwise it was the easy series we expected. However, thanks to the Rangers, the Hurricanes are favorites no more.

It’s been a close series, with all three games decided by one goal, and two of the games going to extra periods. But Carolina has lost all three, and they will play for their postseason life on Saturday at home.