Updated NHL Stanley Cup Odds

It’s getting to be crunch time in the NHL playoff race, and the odds that each team can hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup in June are shifting from week to week. Let’s take a look at the latest chances for the contending teams.

Updated NHL Stanley Cup Odds

Washington (8/1)

The Capitals sit on top of the Eastern Conference standings and have a commanding lead over the Florida Panthers and the other contenders. They’ll get an easy wild card opponent in the first round and then will have home ice all the way, barring a collapse. This team is outstanding on both ends of the ice.

Dallas, Chicago (10/1)

These two teams keep flipping and flopping atop the Central Division standings (and the Western Conference). They both have incredible offenses, and they both have decent goaltending. They both have Jekyll-and-Hyde defenses that can shut oppositions down but can also give up goals like points on a pinball machine. One of these teams will probably be in the Stanley Cup finals, but it’s almost impossible to predict which one will figure out their defensive issues in time to make a big run.

Tampa Bay, Los Angeles (12/1)

The Lightning have rebounded from an awful start in the late fall and winter of 2015 to take the Atlantic Division lead after the turn of the calendar. Can they unseat the Washington Capitals in the conference playoffs? This is a scary team when it comes to dynamic offense, and their defense has been relatively solid all year long. Now that the goals are coming, this is not a team I’d want to see. The Kings briefly skyrocketed past the Stars and Blackhawks in the West’s power rankings, but they’re settling back down to earth in the Pacific Division. They don’t have the consistency on offense right now to be a solid pick to come out of the West.

Boston, New York Islanders (16/1)

Two solid offensive teams. Two teams with occasional Swiss cheese on defense. The Islanders just knocked off the Rangers, while the B’s are scuffling right now, so I like the Islanders a little bit more out of this pairing. But not much more.

New York Rangers (18/1)

Yes, the Blueshirts are ahead of the Islanders in the standings. But their offense can’t really keep up with their defense’s mistakes right now, and Henrik Lundqvist can’t stop every shot every night. Now, let’s look at some of the other teams: *St. Louis (20/1) *Florida, San Jose (24/1) *Detroit, Anaheim, Pittsburgh (25/1) *Minnesota, Nashville (30/1) *Montreal, New Jersey, Arizona (50/1) *Carolina (100/1) *Vancouver, Colorado, Ottawa (150/1) *Philadelphia (300/1) *Calgary (750/1) *Winnipeg (1,000/1) *Edmonton (2,000/1) *Buffalo, Columbus (4,000/1)