We’re now 70 games into the 2023-24 NHL season and the postseason is on the horizon. The Stanley Cup is the oldest trophy in North America when it comes to professional sports and the playoffs often throw up countless surprises. With that in mind, here’s a quick Look at the odds as of the penultimate weekend in March.
NHL Stanley Cup odds: How do the Flyers stack up?
NHL Stanley Cup odds: Is it time to get rocked like a Hurricane?
Oh, what a difference a month can make in the NHL. When we last posted an odds update, the Carolina Hurricanes were +1000 along with the Florida Panthers. Both teams are now listed at +650, but it’s the Hurricanes who might well have the edge.
Sitting second in the Metro and only 3 points behind the New York Rangers, the Hurricanes are 8-1-1 over their last 10 and boast a +51 goal differential – good for 4th in the entire NHL. While you can certainly make the case for the Rangers, the excitement surrounding the Hurricanes is enticing. Piotr Kochetkov was named Rookie of the Month after going 5-3 with a .940 save percentage and a pair of shutouts in February, and he’s only getting better.
The 24-year-old has won 3 of his last 5 starts and is supported by one of the best penalty kill units in the entire league.
Sebastian Aho and Jake Guentzel headline a team that has been firing on all cylinders as of late and so long as they can keep punching in high-scoring efforts, they should be red-hot heading into the NHL playoffs. At +650, this is a price that still holds some value.
The best of the rest
The Oilers, Rangers, and Avalanche headline the pack of chasing teams as far as the odds go, and it’s New York who might hold the most value. Sitting pretty on 98 points, the Rangers are 7-3 in their last 10, having recently knocked off the Panthers in a 4-3 win. They also beat the Bruins on Thursday, showing that they can beat the very best the NHL has to offer. At +900 to win the Stanley Cup, there’s definitely some value on one of the better outfits in the NHL, and a team that made the conference finals back in 2022 and will be looking to avenge an opening round sweep in 2023.
What about the Philadelphia Flyers?
At +7500, the Flyers are definitely underdogs going into the postseason. With that said, Tortorella has been able to squeeze every last drop of juice from a very young team and while the dream of a Stanley Cup remains a distant one for now, an opportunity to experience playoff hockey and build on that in years to come is an exciting one. You also never know what the postseason holds, and the Flyers have been overachieving all year, with a recent win over Boston being their latest achievement.
NHL Odds: Stanley Cup Betting offers
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
