NHL Playoffs Top Games Odds. Picks & Betting Analysis

The 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs begin on Monday. The Boston Bruins won the Presidents’ Trophy and are the top seeds in the East, while the Vegas Golden Knights are the top seeds in the West. Yet both could lose in Round 1. Here’s a look at the NHL betting analysis of the Game 1 for each on Monday.

NHL Playoffs: Series Underdogs Worth a Wager

Florida at Boston (-215)

When: Monday, April 17 at 7:30 pm ET
Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
TV / Streaming: ESPN

The Bruins enter the Stanley Cup playoffs after the most successful regular season in NHL history. They finished with an NHL-record 65 wins, passing the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings (who finished 62-13-7) and the 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning (62-16-4) for most wins in a season. Neither of those teams won the Stanley Cup in its respective record-setting season, as the Red Wings lost to the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference finals, and the Lightning were swept in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Bruins also set a single-season record for wins and shattered the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens‘ mark of 132 points. Backed by the league’s best goaltending, they were clearly the NHL’s top defensive team. Led by 60-goal scorer David Pastrnak and unparalleled depth, they were almost the NHL’s top offensive team, as well. No team that won the Presidents’ Trophy has also won the Stanley Cup since the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks.

Boston could open this series without future Hall of Fame forward Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron, the team’s captain, had 58 points (27 goals, 31 assists) in 78 games, becoming yet again a top contender for the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward. He has won the award five times.

He left last Thursday’s regular-season finale with an upper body injury. Bergeron is vital to the Bruins’ success in all three zones. He has scored 20-plus goals in 10 consecutive seasons, he’s the best defensive forward in the sport and he’s one of the best leaders on and off the ice. On Sunday, Pavel Zacha moved into Bergeron’s spot on the top line with Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk. Zacha has had a breakout season, his first with the Bruins, with 57 points (21 goals, 36 assists), 21 points more than last season’s career high of 36 with the New Jersey Devils.

The Panthers enter the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the lowest seed in the Eastern Conference. It’s a stark contrast for a team that won the Presidents’ Trophy with the NHL’s best record last season and were swept in Round 2 by Tampa Bay.

Florida this year played the Bruins as well as any other team has this season, responsible for two of their 17 losses, one in regulation and one in overtime.

“They’re the best regular-season team in history,” Florida forward Matthew Tkachuk said. “We have a chance to do something very, very special. It’s going to take a lot of preparation and a lot of execution.”

Bet Florida vs Boston to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Los Angeles at Edmonton

When: Monday, April 17 at 10:00 pm ET
Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton, Canada
TV / Streaming: ESPN

These teams met last year in the playoffs and the Oilers won in seven. The teams split the season series this year with the Oilers winning the final two games, 2-0 in Edmonton on March 30 and 3-1 in Los Angeles on April 4.

Leon Draisaitl led the Oilers with four points (one goal, three assists) against the Kings and Connor McDavid (two goals, one assist) and Evan Bouchard (three assists) had three points each. Stuart Skinner started all four games and was 2-1-0 with a .950 save percentage and 1.78 goals-against average and Jack Campbell allowed two goals on 11 shots in his only appearance on Jan. 9.

Viktor Arvidsson led the Kings with six points (two goals, four assists) against the Oilers and Trevor Moore (three goals, one assist) and Kevin Fiala (two goals, two assists) had four points each. Pheonix Copley was 1-1-0 with a 2.51 GAA and .921 save percentage.

The Oilers are healthy. Forward Ryan McLeod returned to play the final two games of the regular season after missing 12 with an upper-body injury.

The Kings could be without two of their top forwards for Game 1. Kevin Fiala (72 points; 23 goals, 49 assists) and Gabriel Vilardi (41 points; 23 goals, 18 assists). Fiala did not play the final six games because of a lower-body injury. Vilardi missed the last nine with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Alexander Edler could be ready for Game 1 after missing the last five games with an upper-body injury.

Not having star defenseman Drew Doughty in the playoff series last year between these two division foes was a huge loss for the LA Kings. There might not be a player more ready to get this series started than Doughty. He’s been waiting since 2018 to get back to playoff hockey and is healthy.

Bet Los Angeles vs Edmonton to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game