The NHL regular season is finally complete and the business end of the season begins. This is when teams will be playing at their absolute peak, but some will emerge stronger than others as every series has to have a winner and a loser.
With so many teams priced up as favorites, it’s going to be even harder to predict who can come out on top in the 2023/24 playoffs. To make matters even more interesting we have the reigning champions (Vegas) and some big franchises such as the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs all priced up at NHL betting odds between +1200 and +1400.
OddsTrader Betting Edge
- Four of the favorites to lift the cup are all priced at the same odds, meaning there is no clear favorite heading into the first round of the playoffs.
- The reigning champions, the Vegas Golden Knights will have to overcome +1200 odds if they wish to retain their trophy in back-to-back seasons.
- Only four teams in the previous 10 years have won the Stanley Cup at odds of +1000 or more prior to the first round of the playoffs.
2024 Stanley Cup Odds
Below you will find the Stanley Cup odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook (check our Caesars Sportsbook Review)
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | +540 |
| New York Rangers | +625 |
| Dallas Stars | +650 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +675 |
| Florida Panthers | +750 |
| Colorado Avalance | +850 |
| Boston Bruins | +1100 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +1200 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +1400 |
| Vancouver Canucks | +1500 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +2000 |
| Los Angeles Kings | +2200 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +2200 |
| Nashville Predators | +4000 |
| New York Islanders | +6500 |
| Washington Capitals | +15000 |
This post-season could be the best yet, so it’s hard to hang your hat on one specific team, the second biggest outsiders (Winnipeg Jets) have the best goaltender heading into the playoffs while the biggest outsiders (Washington Capitals) have the league’s second highest (and soon to be highest) goalscorer of all time in Alex Ovechkin.
The 3rd biggest outsiders Vancouver have two players inside the top six for most assists in the regular season and Toronto has the league’s highest goalscorer.
Essentially, if the bottom half of the odds table is throwing these at us, one can only imagine what sort of post-season could be on the cards. Strap yourselves in (tight) it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Eastern Conference Contenders
Carolina Hurricanes (+650)
The Carolina Hurricanes have made the playoffs every year since 2018, yet have not made it into the finals once. Last season they came into the playoffs as one of the favorites to lift the cup but came undone by the Florida Panthers in the Conference finals 4-0.
This time around they have brought in the cavalry, adding Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov at the trade deadline they have looked very strong ahead of the post-season and have gone on an impressive 13-4-2 run since their new signings.
This is likely the Hurricanes’ best chance yet to win a Stanley Cup. Their style of hockey will suit the playoffs and they have an easy first-round matchup against the NY Islanders, which they should win in 4 or 5 games.
New York Rangers (+675)
Although teams historically have not done so well in the post-season having won the Presidents’ Trophy (last team to win the Presidents’ Trophy and Lord Stanley was the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013), we believe the NY Rangers have a legitimate opportunity this season.
Their team is strong defensively and their goaltending is up there with one of the best, offensively they get the job done.
Overall, we just need to see some more grit and tenacity from them in the playoffs as they have lacked this in previous years. Facing the Capitals in round one should be a breeze and failing to overcome Ovechkin and co. would be a disaster in the fans and owners’ minds.
Western Conference Contenders
Dallas Stars (+850)
The Dallas Stars have a revenge job in round one of the playoffs as they face off against the team that knocked them out of the conference finals last season, none other than the reigning champions the Vegas Golden Knights.
That said, the Golden Knights aren’t as strong as they were last season and the Stars have home-ice advantage in this matchup. If the Stars can beat the Golden Knights in round one, well then those +850 odds could look more like +450 as there are not many other teams in the Western Conference who the Stars will fear.
They have a good balanced team and although Colorado and Edmonton are tough cookies, they can still emerge victorious against both in our opinion.
Winnipeg Jets (+1800)
It’s unlikely the Winnipeg Jets can go all the way, but they do need an honorable mention because we love riding a hot goaltender and theirs is legitimately one of the best in the NHL, if not the best.
Connor Hellebuyck is one of the best at winning games for his team and if he gets hot during the post-season, don’t be surprised to see the Jets win a few games and those +1800 odds will drop rapidly. They might not win it all but Hellebuyck can carry them far, to the semifinals at least if he has to do most of the carrying.
2024 NHL Playoffs Schedule – Game 1
Saturday, April 20
- #7 Islanders vs. #2 Hurricanes – 05:00 PM ET
- #5 Maple Leafs vs. #4 Bruins – 08:00 PM ET
Sunday, April 21
- #6 Lightning vs. #3 Panthers – 12:30 PM ET
- #8 Capitals vs. #1 Rangers – 03:00 PM ET
- #4 Avalanche vs. #2 Jets – 07:00 PM ET
- #6 Predators vs. #3 Canucks – 10:00 PM ET
Monday, April 22
- #8 Golden Knights vs. #1 Stars – 09:30 PM ET
- #7 Kings vs. #5 Oilers – 10:00 PM ET
*21+ Seek help with a gambling addiction at 1-800-Gambler
*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
Props and Bonuses
You can find a list of prop bets at all of the best U.S.-licensed online sportsbooks found right here at OddsTrader. Online sportsbooks like BetMGM, Caesars, PointsBet, DrafKings, Bet365, Fanduel and BetRivers all offer props like “Who Will Win the NHL Playoff MVP Award” and futures to win the Stanley Cup as well as generous signup bonuses.
Shop for Odds
If you want to compare the various NHL Odds, then click on the link and you will see the point spreads, moneylines, and totals at all of the best books in the industry.
NHL Betting FAQ’s
Question: Where Can I Go to Make a Bet on The NHL Playoffs?
Answer: The best online sportsbooks are the safest online sportsbooks, which are those licensed in jurisdictions where online sports betting is legal in the United States.
The top-rated books are BetMGM, Caesars, PointsBet, DrafKings, Bet365, Fanduel and BetRivers.
Question: What Types of Bets Are Popular with NHL Hockey?
Answer: The most popular bet is the moneyline where the underdog returns more money than you wagered while the favorite requires you to risk more than you could win. There is no point spread in moneyline wagering, it’s strictly whichever team wins the game wins the bet.
However, puck lines are also common, with the underdog getting +1 goal while the underdog is giving 1 ½ goals. Totals, or over/under betting, is another typical hockey bet where the bettor can bet over or under the posted total.
Question: Do I Have to Bet a Lot?
Answer: No, the minimum bet is as low as $1 and accounts can be funded with as little as $10 at many of the books across the nation.
