NHL Playoff Standings 2018: Latest Stanley Cup Odds and Wild-Card Predictions

The Nashville Predators and the Tampa Bay Lightning are the two top teams in the league before the regular season concludes April 8, and those two teams are co-favorites to win the Stanley Cup.

While many factors including overall execution, coaching strategy, injuries and puck luck are likely to decide the outcome of the playoffs, OddsShark lists the Preds and Lightning as +450 favorites to hoist the Stanley Cup in June. The Vegas Golden Knights, a first-year expansion team, is the third choice at +600, while the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins are both listed at +900.

A bettor who wagers $100 on the Predators would earn $550 (original $100 bet and $450 profit) if Nashville is successful in four postseason rounds.

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

The Columbus Blue Jackets were in a tenuous playoff position at the start of March. However, after registering a 5-4 overtime victory over the Bruins Monday night, John Tortorella's team has won eight game in a row and has moved into a tie for third place in the Metropolitan Division with the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Tortorella admitted his team did not play its best game, but was pleased that it found a way to win once again. "It just looked like as a whole group we didn't seem to have our legs," Columbus coach John Tortorella said, per Stats/AP (h/t CBS Sports). "The turnovers hurt us, we turned the puck over quite a bit. But give them credit, they just ended up finding a way."

The Flyers still have the technical edge since they have more regulation and overtime wins (ROW) than Columbus, but the Blue Jackets are in an excellent position to make the playoffs as a wild-card team if they don't secure the automatic playoff spot that goes with finishing third in the Metropolitan Division.

Here's a look at the NHL standings.

The Devils are trying to hold off the Florida Panthers for the No. 2 wild-card spot, and they have a three-point edge on Florida heading into Tuesday's schedule. The Panthers blanked the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 Monday night, and they play a road game against the Ottawa Senators Tuesday night, while the Devils will play at San Jose.

The Nashville Predators have clinched a spot in the playoffs and they are likely to finish first in the Central Division. The Winnipeg Jets and the Minnesota Wild are holding down second and third in the division, and should be in a strong position to make the playoffs.

The Pacific Division belongs to the expansion Golden Knights, and they have an eight-point lead over the San Jose Sharks. 

The Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks are tied for third with 86 points, but the Kings have the edge for the automatic qualifier, since they have five more ROW wins than the Ducks.

The Ducks and Colorado Avalanche are holding on to the two Western Conference wild-card spots. The Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames are trying to chase down the Ducks and the Avalanche for those wild-card spots.

Predictions and Odds for Stanley Cup (Odds courtesy of OddsShark)

Atlantic Division

1. Boston Bruins, +900
2. Tampa Bay Lightning*, +450
3. Toronto Maple Leafs, +1400

Metropolitan Division

1. Washington Capitals, +1800
2. Pittsburgh Penguins, +900
3. Philadelphia Flyers, +4000       

Eastern Conference Wild Cards

1. Columbus Blue Jackets, +2800
2. New Jersey Devils, +4000         

Central Division

1. Nashville Predators*, +450
2. Winnipeg Jets, +1100
3. Minnesota Wild, +2800         

Pacific Division

1. Vegas Golden Knights, +600
2. San Jose Sharks, +2800
3. Anaheim Ducks, +2800        

Western Conference Wild Cards

1. Colorado Avalanche, +4000
2. Los Angeles Kings, +2200

*Clinched playoff spot.      

Presidents' Trophy (home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs): Nashville Predators