NHL Playoffs 2018: Analyzing Stanley Cup Odds for Every Remaining Team
The list of potential Stanley Cup champions is down to five.
With the Washington Capitals moving into the Eastern Conference final Monday, three of the four participants for the conference final round are set, with Tampa Bay and Vegas already in place.
Nashville and Winnipeg will decide the final third-round team Thursday in Game 7 of their Western Conference second-round series.
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Each of the remaining franchises displayed flashes of why they should be considered the favorite to win the Stanley Cup, but the majority of them are inexperienced when it comes to making it this far in the postseason.
Tampa Bay is the only team left in the postseason with a Stanley Cup, as it took the title in 2004 over Calgary.
The Lightning are the favorite to win it all, but a legitimate case could be made for each of the other four teams to win it all as well.
Odds For Each Remaining Team
Tampa Bay Lightning (+245; bet $100 to win $245)
Tampa Bay deserves the lowest odds to win the championship after dispatching the New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins with ease.
In their 10 playoff games, the Lightning scored 35 goals and conceded on 25 occasions, with Nikita Kucherov leading the team with 12 points.
Kucherov, Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos are in double digits when it comes to postseason points, while all but two skaters to hit the ice recorded a point.
Jon Cooper's team is the more experienced of the two in the Eastern Conference final, as it reached this stage in three of the last four seasons.
In fact, the Lightning are the most experienced team left in the postseason, with Vegas in its first-ever conference final and Washington back at this stage for the first time since 1998.
Even if Nashville knocks off Winnipeg, the Lightning still carry more playoff experience than the defending Western Conference champion given the 12 playoff series they've played in since 2015.
Although they might not be the sexy pick at the moment given the stories coming out of Vegas and Washington D.C., the Lightning must be considered the favorite to win it all given their recent history and dominance throughout the postseason.
Vegas Golden Knights (+340)
The improbable story of the Vegas Golden Knights has set a new standard for expansion teams, as they've knocked off Los Angeles and San Jose to reach the Western Conference final.
Vegas flexed its defensive muscle in the first-round series against the Kings, as it let in three goals on the way to a sweep.
The Golden Knights played a different type of series in the second round against the Sharks, as goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was exposed a bit, as he conceded three or more goals in four games.
Although offense was the story for most of their second-round showdown, the Golden Knights put on a defensive show in Game 6 to finish off the Sharks by a 3-0 score.
Of the five teams left in the postseason, Vegas has the best defensive record by far, as six goals allowed separate it from the second-best team.
Since they've already achieved more than anyone thought they would, the Golden Knights should play looser than their opponent in the West final.
The key for Vegas in the West final is to take advantage of its home games and rely on Fleury's experience from his time in Pittsburgh.
If the Golden Knights hang in the series for the first two games on the road, they should be able to swing the momentum at T-Mobile Arena and make a charge for the Stanley Cup final.
Winnipeg Jets (+340)
We would've felt more confident in the Winnipeg Jets if they finished off Nashville at home Monday night.
After being shut out by the Predators on home ice, the Jets have two days off to recuperate before entering Bridgestone Arena for Game 7.
The Jets aren't out of the series by any stretch of the imagination, but there is little going for them ahead of the most crucial game of their season.
However, there is some good news for the Jets entering Game 7, as they own two victories in Nashville in the series, including a 6-2 pummeling in Game 5.
Winnipeg got to this point behind some tremendous play in net from Connor Hellebuyck and an offense led by Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine.
But the Jets need more out of their star players in Game 7 to have a shot at taking down Vegas and earning their first trip to the Stanley Cup final.
Laine's been a bit underwhelming in the series, with five points, while Hellebuyck's been beaten 18 times in a series highlighted by offense.
If they are able to get past Nashville in Game 7, the Jets should be in good shape to make a charge at the Stanley Cup since they would have home-ice advantage.
Washington Capitals (+600)
It almost feels like Washington already won the Stanley Cup given the celebrations that followed its second-round win over Pittsburgh.
The Capitals erased their postseason jinx against the Penguins by taking the series in six games and finishing the deal in Pittsburgh in overtime.
While praise needs to be given to the Capitals for finally advancing past the second round, the job isn't done yet, and a challenge awaits in the form of the Lightning.
How Washington responds to the emotional high from Game 6 in Pittsburgh will determine the East final.
If the Capitals get stuck in the moment and come out flat against the Lightning, their postseason could be over fast, and the team will be stuck dwelling on a poor playoff performance to end the season yet again.
On the flip side, Washington could use the confidence gained from defeating the Penguins as a motivating factor showing it anything is possible now that it's gotten rid of its biggest rival.
Barry Trotz's team owns one win and two defeats against the Lightning from the regular season, with each meeting decided by two goals or fewer.
Getting out to a fast start is going to be key for the Capitals in Tampa Bay, which requires another set of strong showings from goalie Braden Holtby, as well as the pair of star scorers in Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov.
Nashville Predators (+990)
It seems a bit strange to see the Predators with the worst championship odds of the remaining playoff teams, but that's where we stand.
The Presidents' Trophy champion and West representative in the 2017 Stanley Cup final has been overshadowed a bit by the other great stories across hockey.
Nashville displayed its big-game experience in Game 6 against Winnipeg, as it controlled the 4-0 result to bring the deciding contest of the series back home.
The one concern about that home-ice advantage is the Predators lost three times at Bridgestone Arena to Colorado and Winnipeg, which leaves the door open for a bit of doubt to creep in.
No matter how susceptible the Predators have looked to losing at home, they still have to be counted as a favorite to win the Stanley Cup since they made a trip to the championship series a year ago.
Tampa Bay may have the most experience in the last five years, but the Predators are the team left in the field with the most-recent Stanley Cup final appearance.
If the Predators close out the Jets Thursday, they should be in good position to contend against Vegas with their home-ice advantage restored and big-game experience flowing through their veins.
While it may be easy to pick one of the other teams left in the postseason, it's hard to choose against Nashville with its recent track record.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from Hockey Reference.
Odds via OddsShark.
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