The NHL Playoffs are here! The opening round of the postseason will begin on Saturday, which means the most exciting time of the year for hockey fans is upon us.

If you’re interested in betting on a couple of teams to win the Stanley Cup, you’re in the right place. In this article I’m going to power rank all 16 playoff teams in order of which I think are the best bets, to the worst bets.

Let’s dive into it.

Best Bets to Win the Stanley Cup1. Vegas Golden Knights +1200

At +1200, the Vegas Golden Knights might be the best bet on the board. They were red-hot to close the season under new head coach John Tortorella, and they have the talent and skill to win it all. Not only that, but they wouldn’t have to face the powerhouse Avalanche until the Western Conference Final.

2. Colorado Avalanche +340

The only reason why the Colorado Avalanche aren’t No. 1 on this list is that I hesitate to back a team with as short of odds as +340. The NHL Playoffs have proved to be volatile over the years, but there’s no question that the Avalanche have the best team in hockey right now.

3. Buffalo Sabres +1500

Many people may laugh at me for saying this, but the Buffalo Sabres are far from fraudulent and have a very real chance to go on a deep run in the NHL Playoffs. They rank in the top 10 in almost every advanced metric, and they can take advantage of what I think is a wide-open Eastern Conference.

4. Edmonton Oilers +1200

Connor McDavid is going to try to drag his team back to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year, and he can do so. The good news is the Oilers may have found their goaltender. Connor Ingram has been great for them down the stretch. Do they have the stamina for another deep run?

5. Philadelphia Flyers +3500

If you want a dark horse team to bet on, none is better than the Philadelphia Flyers. They’ve been the best defensive team in hockey since the Olympic break in February, and they have a goaltender in Dan Vlader who can carry them through series that they find themselves as underdogs in.

6. Pittsburgh Penguins +3000

I predict the winner of the Penguins vs. Flyers series will make a run to the Eastern Conference Final. The Penguins have the leadership and experience to get it done. Can Sidney Crosby go on one more Stanley Cup run?

7. Carolina Hurricanes +600

The Carolina Hurricanes once again led the entire NHL in almost every single advanced metric you can look up. The problem is that’s been the case for the past 5+, but they’ve yet to translate that into postseason success. I hesitate to trust them at +600 to finally go on a run to the Stanley Cup Final.

8. Los Angeles Kings +6000

The Kings have the longest odds on the board, but that’s largely because they have to face the powerhouse Avalanche in the first round. They’re a great defensive team, and if they can translate that into a grind-it-out style of hockey, things could get weird. If they pull off the upset against the Avalanche, the door to a deep run opens up for them. You’ll find worse bets to place at 60-1.

9. Minnesota Wild +1500

The Minnesota Wild have a gauntlet they have to go through in the first two rounds. They have to find a way to beat the Dallas Stars, and then they will likely have the Colorado Avalanche waiting for them. If they get through both those teams, it’s probably going to be the Edmonton Oilers or Vegas Golden Knights waiting for them. The only reason why I’m setting them one spot higher than the Stars is the fact that they’re available at longer odds.

10. Dallas Stars +1300

Read above. Same tough path as the Wild, but slightly shorter odds. The Stars have the team to do it, but things won’t be easy.

11. Ottawa Senators +1400

The Senators’ advanced metrics, especially their defensive numbers, have been fantastic in the second half of the season, but do they have the skill and talent to compete with the best the NHL has to offer?

12. Tampa Bay Lightning +460

The Lightning feel like a team that’s peaked too early. Their advanced metrics aren’t as good as their record would indicate. They certainly are good enough to make some noise in the playoffs, but I just can’t bet on them at just +460 odds. They’d have to have longer odds for me to find value in them.

13. Anaheim Ducks +4500

The Ducks are a young team that’s fun to watch, and maybe they can take advantage of an Oilers team that has some flaws in the opening round. If you told me you wanted to sprinkle on them at 45-1, I wouldn’t argue too much.

14. Boston Bruins +4000

The Boston Bruins are in the bottom 10 in the NHL in almost every advanced metric, and they also don’t have the shooting or goaltending to make up for it. I’m out on them, even at 40-1.

15. Montreal Canadiens +2200

The Canadiens have relied on great shooting throughout the season, but it’s hard to win series after series in the postseason while being outplayed between the blue lines. You could convince me they’d be a decent bet at longer odds, but I just can’t see it at 22-1.

16. Utah Mammoth +3000

Not only do the Utah Mammoth have to somehow find ways to beat teams that are better than them every step of the way, but their odds at 30-1 don’t even make them an enticing longshot bet. I’m out on the Mammoth.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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You can check out all of Iain’s bets here!

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