NHL Playoffs 2019: Stanley Cup Title Odds, Latest Schedule and Picks

Last year's Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals, were eliminated from the NHL playoffs in the first round. So were the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017.

And the two teams that won the four Stanley Cups prior to that, the Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks, didn't make the postseason this year.

This means there will be some fresh faces hoisting the Stanley Cup at the end of the playoffs.

Among the eight teams remaining in the playoffs, three have never won the Stanley Cup: the St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets. The Dallas Stars and Carolina Hurricanes have each only won one.

Stanley Cup Odds

Carolina Hurricanes 7-2

San Jose Sharks 5-1

St. Louis Blues 13-2

Columbus Blue Jackets 13-2

Dallas Stars 15-2

Boston Bruins 8-1

Colorado Avalanche 9-1

New York Islanders 40-1

Odds via Oddschecker.

2nd-Round Schedule

*If necessary. All times ET.

Friday, May 3

Game 4: N.Y. Islanders at Carolina, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Game 5: Dallas at St. Louis, 9:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Saturday, May 4

Game 5: Columbus at Boston, 7:15 p.m., NBC

Game 5: Colorado at San Jose, 10 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Sunday, May 5

Game 6: St. Louis at Dallas, 3 p.m., NBC

Game 5: Carolina at N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network*

Monday, May 6

Game 6: Boston at Columbus, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Game 6: San Jose at Colorado, 10 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Tuesday, May 7

Game 6: N.Y. Islanders at Carolina, TBD*

Game 7: Dallas at St. Louis, TBD*

Wednesday, May 8

Game 7: Columbus at Boston, TBD*

Game 7: Colorado at San Jose, TBD*

Game 7: Carolina at N.Y. Islanders TBD*

Stanley Cup Final Picks

Eastern Conference: Carolina Hurricanes

Gerry Broome/Associated Press

The Hurricanes have had an impressive postseason. First, they went to seven games against the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals and won Game 7 on the road to secure the series.

Now, Carolina has a 3-0 lead over the New York Islanders in the second round and is heading into a Game 4 matchup at home on Friday night looking to complete a sweep.

The Hurricanes should have no problem notching one more victory over the Islanders. Then they will face either the Columbus Blue Jackets or Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Final—their series is tied at two.

"It's a big motivation to be able to close it out," Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin said, according to Field Level Media (h/t ESPN.com). "If we can win, that's great. To be able to sweep here at home would be huge."

After beating the Islanders, the Hurricanes should secure another series win to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006, when they won their only Stanley Cup.

Western Conference: St. Louis Blues

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

The Blues are playing competitive series early in the playoffs, and that should only help them continue their run through the postseason.

After beating the Winnipeg Jets in six games in the first round, St. Louis is tied 2-2 with the Dallas Stars in its second-round series.

The Blues took a 2-1 lead against the Stars, but they dropped Game 4 in Dallas, their first road loss of the postseason.

"We're disappointed," Blues center Ryan O'Reilly said, according to Field Level Media (h/t ESPN.com). "That wasn't the kind of game we wanted, but it's a best out of three now, and we're confident we'll turn it around."

They will, and they will later have a chance to play for the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.