The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Saturday night, April 20th, and gambling sites alike will have people wagering on all the hockey until the Stanley Cup is awarded. Sites like Sports Interaction immediately put up odds for teams to win the Stanley Cup, among other different odds. With games starting as early as 5 pm on April 20th, fans can place bets during live games.
The Carolina Hurricanes are the heavy favourite to win the Stanley Cup. Behind the Hurricanes, the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars have the next-best odds of winning the Stanley Cup. Instead of listing the different cup favourites, we will preview the first-round series with their betting odds and who will advance to the next round.
2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs First-Round Series Betting Odds
Odds Courtesy of SportsInteraction.com
Carolina Hurricanes (-350) vs. New York Islanders (+280)
The Hurricanes are the heavy favorites coming into the series. However, the Islanders are a team riding an eight-game win streak heading into the playoffs. The issue for the Islanders is PNC Arena. It has been a house of horrors for the Islanders, especially in the playoffs. The Islanders are the underdogs, but if they can keep the game at five-on-five, they have a chance, especially with Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin. However, the Hurricanes are the deepest they have been in years with the addition of Jake Guentzel, aka Big Game Jake, aka Jake the Snake. Not to mention, the Hurricanes are healthy. It could go six or be a quick series in favorite of the Canes.
New York Rangers (-400) vs. Washington Capitals (+310)
The New York Rangers are the favorites to win here by a huge margin. Most people think it will be over in four or five games. And the Rangers should do that with Artemi Panarin leading the way offensively and Igor Shesterkin between the pipes. The Rangers have the superior talent over the Capitals. But we have seen teams pull upsets in the first round because of the type of games they are playing down the stretch. The Capitals have been playing playoff-type games from the second half of the season on. The question is, did Charlie Lindgren, Alex Ovechkin, and the company run out of steam?
Tampa Bay Lightning (+145) vs. Florida Panthers (-175)
It’s not surprising this is close to a series to pick. The edge is with the Florida Panthers, but the Tampa Bay Lightning should be favored in this series. Tampa Bay won the previous two series, and Game 1 will determine a lot in this series. We saw Tampa Bay win in six games in 2021 and then sweep the Florida Panthers in 2022. The defending Eastern Conference champions, Florida must stay out of the penalty box to have a shot. The Lightning are the hottest team entering the playoffs. Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, and Andrei Vasilevskiy are series changers. Matthew Tkachuk knows how to step up for the Panthers, but Sergei Bobrovsky has to be the guy from last year for the Panthers to have a shot.
Toronto Maple Leafs (+105) vs. Boston Bruins (-125)
The Original Six matchup is as close to a pick’em as we can get with the Bruins holding the slight edge. However, it does feel like the Maple Leafs time. Toronto has not beaten the Bruins in the playoffs since 1959. It feels like they are due. However, mental games can cost a team in the playoffs. It’s the same with matchups. Boston knows how to play Toronto. Some Bruins players are no longer there; however, the remaining ones have beaten the Maple Leafs in the playoffs. Boston has the edge in goaltending, but everything else favors Toronto. It is time for this group of Maple Leafs to get past their demons, or else changes could come.
Around Full Press Coverage
NHL: NHL Board of Governors Approve Arizona Coyotes Relocation To Utah
NHL Rumors: NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks
New Jersey Devils: Tom Fitzgerald Has A Busy Offseason Ahead To Improve the Devils
FULL PRESS HOCKEY: 2024 Stanley Cup Odds: Carolina and Toronto Early Favorites
PODCAST: According To Who? Ep 2: Top 5 Super Bowls Of All Time
WANT MORE PODCASTS? Check Out Some Of The Latest From Around The FPC Network
Vegas Golden Knights (+115) vs. Dallas Stars (-135)
The Stars are one of the favorites to come out of the Western Conference, but the Vegas Golden Knights are a sneaky good play. We saw what Vegas did to the Stars in the Western Conference Final last year. And the Golden Knights are getting healthy as Mark Stone appears on track for Game 1. Tomas Hertl fits in nicely. Bruce Cassidy knows how to get this team to play. The first rounds are always the trickiest for Vegas. Dallas has the best record in the West. The Stars have the better goalie in Jake Oettinger, but the Golden Knights are the defending Stanley Cup Champions. You can see an upset here. Like Tampa Bay, Vegas is a team you don’t want to play in the first round.
Colorado Avalanche (+115) vs. Winnipeg Jets (-135)
The Winnipeg Jets should be the favorites after going 3-0 against the Avalanche in the regular season, including a 7-0 shellacking at the final meeting in Denver. Connor Hellebuyck is the difference maker in this series. He is better than Alexandar Georgiev. The Avalanche has Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, but the Jets are a deeper team. Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Sean Monahan, Tyler Toffoli, and the rest of that lineup have a belief. Lots of people are overlooking the Jets. Not to mention, can Colorado outscore their problems?
Nashville Predators (+125) vs. Vancouver Canucks (-150)
Another fascinating series in the West as Predators visit the Canucks. The goalies are a wash. Thatcher Demko and Juuse Saros are two of the best in the NHL. The question is whether Nashville can continue to rely on just Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, and Ryan O’Reilly. Yes, the Predators have depth and have been playing playoff hockey to make it to the playoffs. However, the Canucks are a deep team. The Canucks won the previous meeting in the playoffs, but that was years ago. Neither team was expected to be here. It comes down to who takes Game 1.
Los Angeles Kings (+165) vs Edmonton Oilers (-200)
The Kings and Oilers will face off again in a rematch of the first round from the previous two years. Los Angeles has a defense that can stifle the Edmonton Oilers’ high-powered offense led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisatil. We know what Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault can do defensively, especially. The key for the Kings will be getting the save at the right time. Los Angeles had chances to go up huge last year, especially in Game 4, but goaltending let them down. Look, defence and goaltending are issues for the Oilers as well. Again, they have their special weapon, the power play, but it feels like the Oilers are a deeper team this year—big series for both teams.
The choice is yours and yours alone, but these helpful tips guide you through the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begins Saturday, April 20th.
Here are full series previews of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, with the Western Conference following on Full Press Hockey. Also, check out the odds on what will come out of the Eastern and Western Conferences.
- Feed has no items.
- Feed has no items.
- Feed has no items.
- Feed has no items.