With the Stanley Cup playoffs only a few weeks away, we are starting to see which teams could go the distance, and which are expected to bow out early.
The National Hockey League season began with 31 teams vying for Lord Stanley’s Cup, and coming into Easter Sunday, we’ve already seen 12 teams get eliminated from the race.
Meanwhile, seven have punched their tickets to the playoffs, with the Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, Vegas Golden Knights, Boston Bruins and Winnipeg Jets have clinched their spots in the postseason.
So which has the best odds of raising the Stanley Cup over their collective heads come June? Vegas currently has the Predators and Lightning as co-favorites, sitting at 9/2. The Golden Knights are getting some love from the home city, getting 6/1 odds from the books. After that, the Penguins (8/1) and Bruins (8/1) round out the top five favorites.
However, you can argue that the easiest road to the Final belongs to the Capitals, who are currently getting 14/1 odds. Washington will likely face either the Philadelphia Flyers or New Jersey Devils in the first round before facing the winner of the Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets. While either opponent would be difficult, neither are enjoying the season that Tampa Bay and Boston are.
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In the West, the Predators and Jets are on a collision course for the Central Division Final, meaning at least one will be knocked out for the Golden Knights, should they reach the conference finals.
Of the teams still alive to reach the postseason, the longest odds belong to the Florida Panthers and St. Louis Blues at 50/1.