If the oddsmakers have it right the Washington Capitals and the Los Angeles Kings will be facing off in the Stanley Cup final. The Capitals begin the playoffs as the overall favorite on the Stanley Cup future odds at +400 at online sportsbook Bodog, while Los Angeles has the best line in the Western Conference at +700.
That likely isn’t good news for the Philadelphia Flyers and the San Jose Sharks, the opening-round opponents of the Capitals and Kings.
The Flyers weren’t expected to make the playoffs this season, but they silenced all the critics and doubters by snagging a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. They do battle with Washington in the first round and begin as a +2500 underdog on the Stanley Cup futures at Bodog.
San Jose has a long list of playoff stumbles over the years, but since they’re not expected to hoist the Stanley Cup this year maybe they’ll deliver with some of the pressure off. The Sharks are a +1600 underdog, although they were 3-2 against the Kings this season.
The defending Stanley Cup champions, the Chicago Blackhawks, remain third on the list at +750. They’ve drawn an interesting first-round opponent in the St. Louis Blues. St Louis, a +1000 Stanley Cup underdog, went 3-2 against Chicago this season and they’re 5-2 in their last seven games.
Rounding out the top five teams on the Stanley Cup futures are the Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks, both at +800. Dallas may have drawn a great first-round opponent in the Minnesota Wild. During the regular season Dallas dominated Minnesota with a 4-1 record against them.
The Ducks go up against the Nashville Predators, with the Preds a +2500 Stanley Cup underdog at Bodog. Nashville was 2-1 this season against the Ducks, but they’re a dreadful 3-9 in their last 12 against them.
The best value pick right now could be the Pittsburgh Penguins at +900. In their last 16 games of the regular season the Penguins were 14-2. That included wins over Washington, Philadelphia, the New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings, and the New York Rangers, their first-round opponents.
The only thing that could be against them is their history against the Rangers. In the last two years the Rangers have been the ones that knocked Pittsburgh out of the playoffs.
Odds to win Stanley Cup at Bodog:
Washington Capitals +400
Los Angeles Kings +700
Chicago Blackhawks +750
Anaheim Ducks +800
Dallas Stars +800
Pittsburgh Penguins +900
St. Louis Blues +1000
New York Rangers +1600
San Jose Sharks +1600
Florida Panthers +2000
Tampa Bay Lightning +2000
New York Islanders +2500
Nashville Predators +2500
Philadelphia Flyers +2500
Minnesota Wild +2800
Detroit Red Wings +3300