The Pittsburgh Penguins are only the fourth seed in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but they still sit atop the NHL futures at the sportsbooks to win the championship this spring.
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and company are the 7/2 favorites at Bodog on the odds to win the Stanley Cup as they get set to take on the rival Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the league’s playoffs this week.
That puts them ahead of the two conference leaders, with the East-winning New York Rangers and the West-winning Vancouver Canucks both at 11/2 on those NHL futures. The Rangers will battle the Ottawa Senators in their first-round matchup this week, while the Canucks will meet the Los Angeles Kings to open their postseason run.
Next up are the St. Louis Blues, a longshot to start the season but now at just 15/2 odds to win the Stanley Cup. The Central Division champions will take on the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the playoffs this week.
The Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup last season, and they’re at 9/1 at Bodog to repeat that feat this spring. The Bruins’ opponent in the first round of the playoffs will be the Washington Capitals, who managed to lock down the seventh seed in the East.
The Detroit Red Wings and the Nashville Predators will meet in a first-round matchup in the West, and those teams are both at 12/1 on the odds to win the Stanley Cup. Detroit went 31-7-3 in their own building this season, but they won’t have home-ice advantage against the Predators.
The Flyers are then at 14/1 on those NHL futures at Bodog, with the Chicago Blackhawks at 16/1 as they prepare to take on the Phoenix Coyotes this week. The Sharks and Kings are at 18/1 and 20/1 on that odds list, respectively, right now.
The New Jersey Devils take on the Florida Panthers in the final playoff series of the first round, and they’re back at 22/1 to win the Stanley Cup. The Capitals boast 28/1 odds, with the Panthers at 30/1, and the Senators and Coyotes both at 35/1 at Bodog.
Odds to Win the 2012 Stanley Cup at Bodog:
Pittsburgh Penguins 7/2
New York Rangers 11/2
Vancouver Canucks 11/2
St. Louis Blues 15/2
Boston Bruins 9/1
Detroit Red Wings 12/1
Nashville Predators 12/1
Philadelphia Flyers 14/1
Chicago Blackhawks 16/1
San Jose Sharks 18/1
Los Angeles Kings 20/1
New Jersey Devils 22/1
Washington Capitals 28/1
Florida Panthers 30/1
Ottawa Senators 35/1
Phoenix Coyotes 35/1