With the start of the 2019 NHL playoffs set to get underway in just over 48 hours, now is a perfect time to take a look at the latest odds to win the 2019 Stanley Cup Championship. Whether you like one of the top favorites or prefer more of a darkhorse team to upset the entire apple cart, you’re going to get the expert betting information that you’ll need in order to maximize your chances of cashing in early and often over the course of the entire postseason. Now, let’s get down to business.
Updated 2019 Stanley Cup Odds, Picks & Team Analysis
The chase is on. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/ha3bIbSyGT
— NHL (@NHL) 7 de abril de 2019
Odds to win 2019 Stanley Cup Final
- Tampa Bay Lightning 9/5
- Boston Bruins 10/1
- Calgary Flames 10/1
- Washington Capitals 10/1
- Nashville Predators 12/1
- San Jose Sharks 12/1
- Vegas Golden Knights 12/1
- Pittsburgh Penguins 15/1
- St. Louis Blues 15/1
- Winnipeg Jets 16/1
- Toronto Maple Leafs 20/1
- Colorado Avalanche 25/1
- Dallas Stars 25/1
- Carolina Hurricanes 30/1
- Columbus Blue Jackets 30/1
- New York Islanders 30/1
Favorites
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning (62-16-3-1) have been the best team in all of hockey since Opening Night and the Lightning are the clear-cut favorites to win it all this season for a reason. Tampa Bay Lightning tied the NHL record for most victories in a single season with 62. Not only that, but the Lightning are elite at both ends of the ice in finishing the regular season ranked first in scoring (3.9 gpg) and seventh in goals allowed (2.7 gpg). Right-winger Nikita Kucherov led the league in scoring with 128 points, center Steven Stamkos finished fourth in goals scored with 45 and center Brayden Point finished 12th in scoring and tied for sixth with Kucherov in goals scored with 41. Tampa Bay went 32-7-1-1 at home and a stupendous 30-9-2 on the road, meaning they’re going to be difficult – if not impossible – to beat by anyone.
Boston Bruins
Boston’s (49-24-6-3) got a lock-down defense that ranks third in goals allowed (2.6 gpg) and the Boston Bruins have been better than they usually are in averaging 3.1 goals per game to rank 11th in scoring. The Bruins however, went a modest 20-15-4-2 on the road and that’s where I think they could be vulnerable against a team that can put points on the board in a hurry, like Toronto, their first round opponent. I’m thinking whoever plays Boston will be in great shape if they can lock down left-wingers Brad Marchand (100 points) and David Pastrnak (81 points) and force someone else on the Bruins’ roster to beat them.
Calgary Flames
Calgary (50-25-3-4) is the top seed in the Western Conference for a reason NHL betting buffs. The Calgary Flames finished the regular season averaging 3.6 goals per game to rank second in scoring while also limiting the opposition to just 2.7 goals per game defensively to rank ninth in goals allowed. Left-winger Johnny Gaudreau (99 points) and centers, Sean Monahan (82 points) and Elias Lindholm (78 points) are all going to be a handful. Calgary was successful at home and on the road and the Flames are going to challenge.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals (48-26-7-1) have been mediocre defensively this season in allowing 3.0 goals per game, but the defending champs can still find the back of the net with the most explosive teams in the league. The Washington Capitals finished the regular season ranked fifth in scoring (3.4 gpg) and they’ve still got plenty of punch, seeing as how future Hall of Fame left-winger Alex Ovechkin led the league in goals scored (51) and three of his teammates finished with 70 points or more. If goalie Braden Holtby can get hot again after compiling a mediocre 2.95 GAA, Washington could find itself in the conference finals, although I don’t have Caps coming out of the conference.
Darkhorses
Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets
My top two dark horse picks to pull off huge upset this postseason and potentially win the Western Conference are the Vegas Golden Knights (43-32-5-2) and Winnipeg Jets (47-30-4-1). Vegas is still the reigning Western Conference champs and they’ve got an all-world goalie minding the net in veteran Marc-Andre Fleury, not to mention a defense that ranks an encouraging 10th in goals allowed (2.8 gpg). If the Knights can find some offense during the playoffs, they could reign supreme again.
In the case of Winnipeg, while the Jets hit the postseason struggling mightily, this is still the same team that I picked to win it all prior to the start of the regular season and one that I believe could surprise in a big way because of their explosive offense which averages a healthy 3.3 goals per game to rank seventh in scoring.
Picks
My top pick to win the 2019 Stanley Cup Championship is the Tampa Bay Lightning, followed by successive picks for Calgary, Washington, Winnipeg and Vegas. No matter how hard I try to envision second-seeded Boston getting past Tampa Bay, I just don’t see it happening. Out West, I like the Flames to get it done because they’ve been elite at both ends of the ice, but I’m also thinking the Western Conference could come down to an all-out brawl between Calgary, Winnipeg, Vegas and Nashville.
