2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds - NHL Betting Lines

2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Online

The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs began on Saturday, April 20. There will be four rounds of the playoffs: the first round, the second round, the Conference Finals, and the Stanley Cup Finals. There is a best-of-seven format in each round. The playoffs will continue to run through the end of April, all of May, and much of June. The last possible day for the playoffs to end is June 24. This is the ninth year in which the top three teams in each division make the playoffs, along with two wild cards in each conference. The New York Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy for the most points and they are the top team in the Eastern Conference. They will face the No. 8 seeded Washington Capitals in the first round. The Rangers will try and avoid the dubious distinction that has plagued previous President’s Cup winners, as none of the recent winners have had much playoff success and no President’s Trophy winner has won the Stanley Cup since the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012-2013. The Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs extended their playoff streaks to eight straight seasons, the longest current streaks in the league and they will meet in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The other first round matchups in the East have the Tampa Bay Lightning facing the Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes taking on the New York Islanders.

The Dallas Stars are the top seed in the Western Conference and they just missed out on catching New York for the top overall seed in the NHL, finishing one point back of New York. The Stars will not have an easy path in the Western Conference, as they have to face the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Golden Knights struggled with injuries for much of the season but they could be at full strength for the playoffs and a very dangerous No. 8 seed. The Vancouver Canucks are the No. 2 seed and they will take on the No. 7 seeded Nashville Predators. The other first round playoff matchups in the Western Conference have the Winnipeg Jets vs. the Colorado Avalanche and the Edmonton Oilers vs. the Los Angeles Kings.

NHL Betting Lines

NHL Stanley Cup Betting Odds

*Odds as of Wednesday, April 24, 10:00 AM ET

Eastern Conference First Round

(1) Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (WC1)

FLA Leads 2-0

Rematched from the 2022 second round, the Lightning are attempting what may be their final push of the season. With the exception of this year, when issues have been more severe than they have in the past. Tampa Bay, which is ranked second in shooting percentage this year, has managed to avoid finishing 19th in 5v5 predicted goals. Even though Steven Stamkos has a certain amount of experience in that area, the Lightning are outperforming them. Regression is expected in the playoffs when scoring goals becomes more difficult.

Conversely, Florida has two goalies with save percentages above.915 and is fourth in 5v5 anticipated goals. The Panthers are my favorite to win the Cup because, as their journey to the Cup Final the previous year demonstrated, they are designed for postseason hockey. They haven't demonstrated anything to indicate that they ought to lose in the opening round, certainly not against a Lightning club that depends as heavily as they do on unsustainable high shooting splits.

(2A) Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (3A)

Series Tied 1-1

The Bruins made every effort to set up a rematch of the series-winning game in 2013, 2018, and 2019. The Boston Bruins wanted to move into Toronto's half of the bracket, so they tanked the season's finale. Then, the question becomes: Was it worth it? The Bruins are sixth in the league in goals against, coming up 18th in 5v5 anticipated goals against the Leafs' 14th.

This season, the Bruins' duo of goalies had save percentages of.916 and.915, placing them in the top 12 among goalies who appeared in more than 15 games. Hopefully, Ilya Samsonov's late-season performance will be more indicative for the Leafs.

Metrically speaking, these two clubs are almost equal, but aside from the collapse of the previous season, the Bruins perform better when called upon while the Leafs deteriorate. Since last year, the Bruins have dominated the Leafs, winning the previous seven games. The Bruins are not going to lose this series. It is theirs to lose.

(1M) New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals (WC2)

NYR Leads 2-0

Based on goal differential, the Caps are the sixth-worst team in the league. Only 31 goals were scored by their top goal scorer. Washington is usually regarded as one of the worst teams to ever make the playoffs, with just two players scoring more than 20 goals. Not much better are the advanced metrics, which place 25th in 5-on-5 projected goals.

For a club that won as many games as they did, the Rangers have good reason to be concerned. They depend on outstanding goaltending and rank 21st in 5v5 predicted goals. However, Washington won't be the club that challenges them.

(2M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders (3M)

CAR Leads 2-0

* If Necessary

Even though the Islanders have improved under Patrick Roy, it won't matter because the Red Wings and Flyers' mistakes allowed them to make the playoffs. In a 5v5, the Hurricanes are anticipated to score goals second and the Islanders, eighteenth. After rebounding from blood clotting problems earlier this season, Frederik Andersen is dominating with a.932 save percentage for Carolina.

Although the Islanders did make two conference finals in 2020 and 2021, they are a different squad now that the enhanced variance COVID seasons have ended. Based only on Varlamov's performance, New York has a greater opportunity than the Capitals to extend this series to six games but Carolina ought to prevail.

Western Conference First Round

(1C) Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights (WC2)

VGK Leads 1-0

It is necessary to discard all metrics for this series. Vegas' entire approach this season has been to acquire a large number of players who do not meet the salary cap because they are aware that it is lifted during the postseason. This club is drastically different from the lineup they have had up to this point, with Tomas Hertl, who was acquired at the trade deadline, returning and Mark Stone probably returning for Game 1.

Nevertheless, Dallas is bringing back nearly the whole squad that advanced to the Western Conference Finals the previous season. They won the West and are fourth in 5-on-5 anticipated goals. Although I believe that everyone will probably use Vegas to choose an upset, I will bet on Dallas because of the Stars' home ice and lack of continuity.

(2C) Winnipeg Jets vs. Colorado Avalanche (3C)

Series Tied 1-1

It's a total coin toss, making it perhaps the trickiest series to handicap.

The Avalanche, the Stanley Cup winners in 2022, have a very inconsistent goaltender staff and have lost talent over time. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck is keeping a very quiet game in the meantime.921 Save% and isn't exhibiting any signs of diminishing.

Colorado is somewhat superior versus Winnipeg in 5v5, ranking eighth by expected goals compared to Winnipeg's 12th, but if Hellebuyck is playing well, the differential might not matter.

While the Avalanche fell in the first round of the 2023 playoffs after winning the Cup, Winnipeg hasn't qualified for the postseason since the Canadian bubble of 2021.

(1P) Vancouver Canucks vs. Nashville Predators (WC1)

Series Tied 1-1

At last, a chance to pull off an upset, and the Canucks are losing. They are not superior. Up until February, they relied on six players who scored goals on at least 20% of their shots. As a result of their impressive point total, Vegas' injuries, Edmonton's month-long collapse, and their own good fortune, they emerged victorious in the Pacific. This group is awful.

Their overall season statistics don't seem all that horrible; they are seventh in 5v5 predicted goals, while Nashville is sixth. However, this squad is 13th in the league since the All-Star Break while playing a Nashville team that has been on a 21-7-3 tear. The Canucks have greatly exceeded preseason predictions and it could all end in this series.

(2P) Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings (3P)

EDM Leads 1-0

* If Necessary

Since I don't see it, the Kings are probably going to be my biggest departure from the strict statistical methodology that guided this analysis. They have a usually flashy stat profile of a contender, ranking third in expected at 5v5 and 25th in shooting percentage at the same time. However, it is obvious to me that they will not win this series or even more than one game.

Leon Draisaitl comes up when the going gets tough for the Oilers, who lead the league in anticipated goals at 5v5. They also boast the best power play in the league. Leon has 20 goals and 50 points in 28 postseason games over the previous two seasons. Oh, and Connor McDavid plays for the Oilers.

In the previous two seasons, the Oilers have defeated the Kings. They will undoubtedly repeat it.

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