Metro Philly Sports Network Logo

2021 Stanley Cup odds heading into playoffs: Avalanche, Golden Knights among favorites

Posted

A majority of the NHL regular season has come to a close with the lone exception coming out west as the Vancouver Canucks make up their heavily postponed schedule after dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak earlier this season.

While the Flyers' campaign came to a disappointing end, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are still the most entertaining postseason in major North American sports — and it won't be an exception this year even with a tweaked format.

Due to the pandemic, teams within the same division could only play each other to cut down on travel and to work around Canada's closed borders, forcing the NHL to create a division of the seven northern teams.

The same idea will carry into the first two rounds of the playoffs, as the top four teams within each division play each other to move onto the Stanley Cup semifinals — one team from each division ultimately moving onto the NHL's final four.

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) defends the goal against the Minnesota Wild in the second period at Xcel Energy Center.Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

With all 16 playoff teams already having punched their tickets, here is how the current Stanley Cup odds look for each team heading into the first round, courtesy of Bovada:

Colorado Avalanche: +500

Vegas Golden Knights: +550

Toronto Maple Leafs: +600

Tampa Bay Lightning: +750

Carolina Hurricanes: +800

Boston Bruins: +1000

Pittsburgh Penguins: +1200

Washington Capitals: +1400

Edmonton Oilers: +1500

New York Islanders: +1600

Florida Panthers: +1800

Minnesota Wild: +1800

St. Louis Blues: +2000

Winnipeg Jets: +2800

Montreal Canadiens: +3000

Nashville Predators: +3300