The road to the Stanley Cup Finals begins today, with four games on the schedule. Defending two-time champion Tampa Bay begins its Stanley Cup defense at Toronto.

NHL Betting Sites

The President’s Cup went to Florida. This was the first time the Panthers ever captured the trophy. They will be in action on Tuesday when their series with Washington begins.

Here’s a look at the odds for every NHL playoff team to win the 2022 Stanley Cup as well as the top contenders and a team or two that might surprise everyone. If you’re new to betting, read our tips on how to bet on hockey.

The Favorite

From beginning to end, the Colorado Avalanche have been the overall favorite to win the Stanley Cup. They are listed at +350 and there are plenty of reasons why the Avs are favored.

It starts with star power. Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Nazem Kadri, and Cole Makar are all considered among the best at their respective positions. MacKinnon is always part of the “best player in the league” discussion.

The Avs were plagued by injuries this season. MacKinnon missed 16 games and Kadri 11. Gabriel Landeskog, one of three Avs to score at least 30 goals, missed 27 games this season.

Still, Colorado managed to finish with the best record in the Western Conference and the Avs were second to Florida in the race for the President’s Cup. Colorado certainly has the weapons to win it all.

NHL Playoffs Odds

Top Contenders

With the President’s Cup in hand, the Panthers are second on the board at +550. Florida led the NHL in scoring as the only team to average over four goals (4.11) per game. They aren’t bad defensively either ranking 12th in goals against (2.95).

Jonathan Huberdeau finished tied for second in points with 115. He had 30 goals and teammate Aleksander Barkov had 39 and 88 points for the Panthers. Sam Reinhart (33) and Anthony Duclair (31) also hit the 30-goal mark and Sam Bennett was close with 28.

Toronto (+900) has to be among the top contenders. Auston Matthews led the NHL with 60 goals. The Maple Leafs have a strong core, but they have failed to win a first-round playoff series since 2004.

The Maple Leafs first-round opponent is the defending champion Lightning. Tampa Bay is given +1100 odds to win the Cup again. Their core, including guys like Steven Stamkos (42 G, 106 PTS) and Victor Hedman (85 PTS), is still together and as good as any.

The Calgary Flames (+800) can’t be overlooked either. The Flames had a 10-game winning streak in February and went 12-2 before losing their final two games of the regular season.

Sleepers

It’s hard to imagine Tampa Bay as a sleeper, but at +1200 they kind of fit the category. The Lightning cruised through the regular season a lot like last season. They are certainly capable of winning the Cup again.

Calgary is less of a sleeper at +800, but other than their own fan base most are overlooking the Flames. They shouldn’t because they are No. 3 in Corsi percentage, which measures puck possession in 5-on-5 situations. There is a huge correlation between Corsi and winning the Stanley Cup (Florida is No. 1, by the way).

The true sleeper here is the New York Rangers. They are given +1600 odds and should strike fear in whoever they play (Penguins in the first round).

The Rangers have the best goalie in the NHL in Igor Shesterkin. He led the NHL in goals against (2.07) and save percentage (.935). Hot goalies can take teams a long way in the postseason.

NHL Playoffs Picks

2022 Stanley Cup Futures Betting Lines

Colorado Avalanche +350

Florida Panthers +550

Calgary Flames +800

Toronto Maple Leafs +900

Tampa Bay Lightning +1100

Carolina Hurricanes +1200

Minnesota Wild +1600

New York Rangers +1600

Boston Bruins +1600

Pittsburgh Penguins +1800

Edmonton Oilers +1800

St. Louis Blues +2000

Washington Capitals +3000

Nashville Predators +4500

Dallas Stars +4500

Los Angeles Kings +6000

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