Four NHL teams remain in the chase for the Stanley Cup.
After an unusual season that saw teams play exclusively against divisional opponents, we finally get to see action between teams who have yet to face each other in 2021.
The Vegas Golden Knights out of the West division are set to take on the Montreal Canadiens, who were crowned champions of Canada after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Winnipeg Jets.
The other semifinal matchup features the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the New York Islanders in a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference finals.
Here are the latest odds to win the Stanley Cup from WynnBET:
Vegas Golden Knights odds to win Stanley Cup: -108
The two teams who sat atop the NHL standings at the conclusion of the regular season both came out of the West Division. The Colorado Avalanche finished in first place due to their regulation wins, and were labeled as the betting favorites to win the Cup at the beginning of the playoffs.
That was until they faced the Golden Knights in the division final. The Avalanche got out to a 2-0 series lead, but Vegas went on to win four straight games to win the series and earn the right to a semifinal berth.
The Golden Knights get a favorable matchup with the Canadiens, as WynnBET has them set as -600 favorites to win the series. That means they have an implied probability of 85.71% of beating Canada’s representative and advancing to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in the franchises four year history.
Tampa Bay Lightning odds to win Stanley Cup: +125
The defending Stanley Cup Champions look primed to make a push for their second straight championship this season, as they’re in fantastic form heading into their semifinal series against the Islanders.
The Lightning welcomed back Nikita Kucherov into their lineup for the playoffs. The star forward missed the entire regular season due to hip surgery. The Russian has notched 18 points so far in the postseason, proving how vital he is to Tampa Bay’s success.
WynnBET has the Lightning at -475 favorites in their semifinal series against the Islanders, so it’s clear that a Golden Knights versus Lightning Stanley Cup Final is expected.
New York Islanders odds to win Stanley Cup: +400
The Islanders, who finished as the No. 4 seed in the East Division, have played fantastic hockey so far in the playoffs, beating the No. 1 seed Penguins in the first round, and then eliminating the No. 3 seed Bruins in the second.
A big part of their success has been due to fantastic play from their goaltender, Semyon Varlamov. He sports a 2.62 GAA and a .925 save percentage so far in the postseason, and the Islanders should be able to challenge the Lightning if Varlamov can continue that level of play.
The Islanders will be looking for revenge against the Lightning, who they lost to in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games in 2020. WynnBET has them set as +165 underdogs to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Montreal Canadiens odds to win Stanley Cup: +600
The Canadiens broke the hearts of Maple Leafs fans across Canada when they stormed back in their opening round series to win it in Game 7 after being down 3-1. What was even more surprising than taking down the No. 1 seed Maple Leafs, was following it up with a sweep of the No. 3 seed Winnipeg Jets.
The Canadiens are coming into the semifinals well rested, but they’ll be facing a tall test in the Stanley Cup favorite Vegas Golden Knights.
Just like he has his whole career, goaltender Carey Price has turned it on in the postseason. He boasts a 1.97 GAA and a .935 save percentage through the first two rounds.
Montreal is set as a sizable +240 underdog to upset Vegas and advance to its first Stanley Cup Finals since the 1992-1993 season.