Stanley Cup 2015: Updated odds for playoff bound teams

With under two weeks to go until the start of the postseason, the New York Rangers check in as the favorite to take home hockey’s ultimate prize.

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As the calender turns to April, the Stanley Cup playoffs are starting to become a clearer picture.

One of sports’ greatest postseasons gets underway on Wednesday, April 15. A few playoff races remain undecided, but top contenders are beginning to clinch playoff spots and teams are being eliminated on an almost nightly basis.

Trying to predict or bet on the Stanley Cup playoffs is largely a fool’s errand. Most series are incredibly evenly-matched, while hot goalies and good health can make all the difference through a brutal two-month playoff campaign.

At least in a sport like the NBA, top seeds can typically be counted on to reach the second round. That isn’t the case in the NHL- the Los Angeles Kings have won the title twice over the past three seasons as an eight seed and six seed.

With that in mind, here are the updated odds from Bovada.lv:

"New York Rangers – 13/2Chicago Blackhawks – 7/1Minnesota Wild – 8/1Anaheim Ducks – 9/1Montreal Canadiens – 10/1St. Louis Blues – 10/1Tampa Bay Lightning – 10/1Nashville Predators – 14/1Pittsburgh Penguins – 14/1Los Angeles Kings – 16/1Boston Bruins – 18/1New York Islanders – 18/1Detroit Red Wings – 20/1Vancouver Canucks – 20/1Washington Capitals – 22/1Calgary Flames – 33/1Winnipeg Jets – 40/1Ottawa Senators – 50/1Florida Panthers – 300/1"

Unsurprisingly, the New York Rangers stand as the favorite entering the final two weeks of the regular season. After a bit of a rough first two months, New York has vaulted to the top of the Eastern Conference with an excellent record ever since.

Even with some power play issues, the Rangers have a dangerous attack led by Rick Nash, who has scored the third-most goals in the league with 40. Oh, and Henrik Lundqvist, who nearly carried New York to a title by himself last season, was able to return from injury last week after a nearly two-month absence.

The Rangers have a potential first round series with the Boston Bruins waiting, a current eight seed with shorter odds than several teams with better records. Boston has been streaky this season-it has a winning streak of five and a losing streak of six just this month-but facing Tuukka Rask in a seven-game series isn’t too appealing.

Just ahead of the Bruins are the Los Angeles Kings, a tough bet to take at 16-1 despite their playoff success as low seed. Making the playoffs is the primary concern for the Kings at the moment, as they trail the Winnipeg Jets by two points with six to play.

The Minnesota Wild have shot all the way up to third favorites with a 24-5-1 record since the All-Star break and incredible +47 goal differential since January 15. Momentum heading into the playoffs can mean everything, and Minnesota’s goalie Devan Dubnyk looks tough to beat right now.

That may have come at the expense odds-wise of the Nashville Predators, who may be a bit undervalued here. Minnesota’s potential first round opponent has busted out of an early March slump and should be getting James Neal and Shea Weber back soon, making Nashville a tough opponent in a long series.

If any brave soul wants to lay $1 on the Florida Panthers, all they have to do is make up six points on the Bruins with five to play.

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