The NHL playoffs begin this week with the Boston Bruins holding steady in futures wagering at the sportsbooks as 7/2 favourites on the Stanley Cup odds. The Bruins clinched the East after going on a torrid 15-1 SU stretch in the month of March. Since then, the B’s have cooled off, ending the regular season with five losses in their final seven games.
The Pittsburgh Penguins remain the only other Eastern Conference team listed among the Stanley Cup favourites at Bodog. The Pens begin the NHL’s second season sitting at 7/1 on the odds to win the Stanley Cup.
The other six Eastern Conference playoff teams are longshots, not only to win the Stanley Cup, but to win the Eastern Conference. The Bruins and Pens sport odds of 13/10 and 11/4, respectively, to reach the Stanley Cup final. They are trailed by the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Philadelphia Flyers, all at 9/1. Detroit sits at 10/1, Tampa Bay is pegged at 12/1, and the Columbus Blue Jackets are at 20/1.
In the West, the St. Louis Blues have not shaken the confidence of oddsmakers at Bodog despite a late season tailspin. The Blues have slipped slightly to 6/1 from 5/1 after ending their regular season on a 2-7 run, including regulation losses in their last six games.
St. Louis have managed to score just five goals during their current losing streak, and have failed to score a goal in their last 144 minutes of play. The slide bumped the Blues from top spot in both the Western Conference and Central Division, setting the stage for perhaps the biggest first-round NHL playoff battle in recent memory when St. Louis faces the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Hawks enter the playoffs sporting 8/1 Stanley Cup odds in futures betting at Bodog. However, much will depend on the health of superstars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, who have both been sidelined with injuries in the past month.
The Colorado Avalanche are enjoying the benefit of the Blues’ late season swoon, capturing the Central Division title and avoiding a first-round matchup against Chicago. However, despite their strong finish, the Avs sit middle of the pack at 14/1 on the odds to win the Stanley Cup, well back of the NHL’s California contingent. Bodog currently pegs the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks at 9/1, and the Los Angeles Kings at 10/1.