There is no clear-cut favorite to win the Western Conference like there is in the East. Only 16 points separated top-seed Vegas from No. 8 seed Winnipeg and seven teams recorded at least 100 points during the regular season. The Colorado Avalanche had a late season surge to win the Central Division leaving the defending Stanley Cup champions tied atop the odds board with Edmonton at +265 to represent the West in the Stanley Cup final. The Oilers also closed with a flurry winning their final nine games and going 16 straight without a regulation loss. Maybe it’s time for the dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to strut their stuff on the game’s biggest stage.
LA’s dramatic run in 2012 to their first Stanley Cup proved there are no underdogs in the NHL. The Kings became the first No. 8 seed to win the title in the four-plus decades since the field expanded to 16 teams. Winning a championship isn’t always the end result, but lower seeds have enjoyed a fair amount of success in the playoffs. The NHL postseason is unpredictable and much different than other leagues with lower seeds actually having a chance of not only taking a series but also staging a run to the league title. Don’t pass on Winnipeg, Los Angeles or Seattle just because their odds are longer than 12/1.
The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on Monday, April 17. Betting options for every game and series as well as futures and props are available at BookMaker.eu.
NHL Playoffs Betting Lines
NHL Odds To Win 2023 Western Conference
Colorado Avalanche +265
Edmonton Oilers +265
Vegas Golden Knights +520
Dallas Stars +567
Minnesota Wild +830
Winnipeg Jets +1236
Los Angeles Kings+1388
Seattle Kraken +1715
Going 16-2-1 over their last 19 games allowed the Avalanche to overcome Dallas for the Central Division title and proved the defending champs aren’t ready to relinquish their crown. They rallied despite captain Gabriel Landeskog missing the entire regular season and now unavailable for the playoffs. Also, Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar has been sidelined since Apr. 1. Nathan MacKinnon and Miko Rantanen picked up the slack offensively each recording more than 100 points during the season. Rantanen was especially deadly scoring 55 goals while MacKinnon averaged nearly 1.6 points per game. There is a steep drop in production after the top scorers, though, something that could prove fatal in the postseason.
The knock against Edmonton the last few years was their lack of goaltending. Nobody questioned their offensive ability, and how could they with Hart Trophy winner McDavid and sidekick Draisaitl finishing 1-2 in the NHL in scoring once again. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was the third member of the club to surpass 100 points and Zach Hyman benefitted being around playmakers scoring 36 goals and 83 points.
But the goaltending, that’s the story and that’s what will carry Edmonton to the Stanley Cup Final. Over their last seven games the Oilers allowed just six goals with a pair of shutouts. Stuart Skinner became the No. 1 option in net going 6-0-0 with a 1.50 GAA and .946 save percentage over his last six regular season starts. He’s never played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which could be a drawback, but veteran Jack Campbell is ready and capable of taking over.
One thing needed come playoff time is contributions from the entire roster. In that regard the Vegas Golden Knights have the edge with 20 players registering at least 10 points and 12 players scoring double figure goals. Heck, they even had five different goalies win at least two games. In the end, though, that could be a detriment going against more highly-skilled competition. A positive note is that Mark Stone is poised to return to the lineup after missing a good chunk of games due to injury.
The Kings stumbled down the stretch mainly because offensive weapons Kevin Fiala and Gabe Vilardi missed time due to injury. They combined for 46 goals and 113 points but missed the final month of the season. Should they return healthy for the playoffs, the Kings become an absolute sleeper with their improved goaltending led by Columbus acquisition Joonas Korpisalo. Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty are still producing several seasons after the Kings broke the ice on their first two Stanley Cup titles supplying veteran leadership.
A hot goalie can help a team win a series or two and the Winnipeg Jets have a good one in Connor Hellebuyck. The 2020 winner had another stellar campaign helping offset the Jets’ inconsistent offense. Hellebuyck won 37 games boasting a 2.49 GAA and .920 save percentage, number similar to his trophy-winning campaign.
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