The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are moving along, with one team already punching their ticket into the Conference Finals and another one very much on the brink of doing the same. The 2-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning are the team moving on, with the Colorado Avalanche looking set to join them. These developments all have an impact on the odds to win the Stanley Cup, which is why it is worth taking another look at where we stand in that regard. Let’s quickly break down the odds for each team still in the hunt to win it all so you can make your bets against the Stanley Cup Odds.
Updated Stanley Cup Odds – May 24th Edition | NHL Playoffs Betting
Colorado Avalanche (+170)
With a big win on Monday night, the Colorado Avalanche took a 3-1 series lead over the St. Louis Blues. Making things even more problematic for the Blues is that they lost their starting goaltender for the rest of the series due to injury, so it really does feel as though it is only a matter of time before the Avalanche get that 4th win and move on.
Tampa Bay Lightning (+280)
These are the odds for the Lightning prior to them winning Game 4 and closing out the series, so be aware that they may be shorter today. At this point, it is easy to forget that the Lightning were on the brink of elimination in Round 1 versus the Toronto Maple Leafs. Since then, they have looked unstoppable and have now won 6 in a row. Perhaps it’s time to start talking threepeat.
Carolina Hurricanes (+450)
In sports, we always talk about defense winning championships. If that indeed does hold true, then you have to look at the Carolina Hurricanes as a legit threat. In particular, their Round 3 series with the New York Rangers has been one for the defensive purists, with the Hurricanes going into Game 4 with a 2-1 lead. If they win that game, expect the odds to shorten again, so now may be the time to get your wagers in if you like Carolina.
Edmonton Oilers (+900)
With a 2-1 series lead over their bitter rivals, the Calgary Flames, the Oilers are currently favored to move on the Western Conference Final. They can strengthen that possibility with a win in Game 4, which goes on Tuesday night. As we saw in the regular season, though, these teams are pretty evenly matched, so I still think we are looking at a longer series.
Calgary Flames (+950)
The Pacific Division champions are in a hole versus the Oilers, but this is exactly where they were in the opening round against the Dallas Stars. They do need to tighten up on the defensive side of the ice moving forward, but they have shown that they can do that. A win in Game 4 would see the Flames win back home ice advantage, so watch for their and the Oilers odds to flip if that happens.
New York Rangers (+2000)
It seems a little unfair that the Rangers are in as the longshot to win the Stanley Cup, as they are perhaps a little unfortunate to be sitting in a 1-2 hole in their series with the Carolina Hurricanes. They are getting great defense and goaltending, so it may not be wise to totally count them out at this point.
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