Stanley Cup futures: Oilers, Panthers favored with playoffs around the corner

Playoff hockey is a thrill every single season and we’re just a month away from the festivities starting. There are a ton of good teams in both the Western Conference and Eastern Conference in 2023-24, which makes it difficult to tab a potential Stanley Cup winner. But, two teams are currently co-favorites to lift the Cup in the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers with +650 odds at Bodog. Read on for the preview. 

Oilers

Early in the season, the Oilers were playing awful hockey and many people were wondering what was going on. But, Edmonton then proceeded to win 16 straight games and they’ve continued to play well since that historic streak ended. Connor McDavid and Co. are second in the Pacific Division with 88 points, compiling a 44-18-8 record. They’re 7-1-2 in the last 10 games and have a track record of success in the playoffs. But, a Cup run has yet to happen with the McDavid-Leon Draisaitl-led core.

Panthers

Florida made a Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup last season and has proved this year that it was no fluke. The Panthers are second in the Atlantic Division with a 45-20-4 record and have been led by Sam Reinhart, who has 48 goals and 31 assists. Matthew Tkachuk is also shining with 76 points, while Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe are over the 60-point mark, too. On both ends of the ice, Florida is a very solid team and has a taste of what the Cup Finals are like. They will be hungry to get back there and win it this time.

Hurricanes

Carolina is a very strong team out East and made it to the Conference Finals last season before losing to the Panthers. They’re only one point behind the New York Rangers for top spot in the Metropolitan and managed to make a big splash at the trade deadline, bringing in Jake Guentzel. His experience and talent should play a key part in the Canes potentially making a deep playoff run. Sebastian Aho and Guentzel form an unstoppable duo, both combining for over 140 points. Carolina is 8-1-1 in their last 10 outings and has the third-best Stanley Cup odds at most NHL sportsbooks.

Avalanche

Colorado is a force to be reckoned with in the West. The 2022 Stanley Cup champs are led by Nathan MacKinnon, who is enjoying a phenomenal campaign where he’s tallied 119 points. That’s second in the NHL behind only Nikita Kucherov. The Avs are first in the Central Division and have won eight in a row. They’re first in scoring and also stout defensively. Colorado has it all.

Bruins

Boston was expected to take a step back in 2023-24 after their historic collapse a year ago. However, that hasn’t been the case. The Bruins are at the top of the Atlantic at 41-15-15 and look to be a Cup contender. They’re top 10 in offense and defense with franchise star David Pastrnak tallying 99 points in 71 games. Brad Marchand is also still putting up numbers, too. Boston has something to prove in the postseason and there will be no shortage of motivation to do so.

Golden Knights

Vegas is outside of the top five in terms of Stanley Cup odds after winning it all in 2023. That’s because the Golden Knights are sliding and sitting in the Wild Card picture right now. Vegas is just 4-6 in their last 10 contests. That being said, this is basically the same team that went all the way. Even if they head into the postseason as a lower seed, Vegas cannot be underestimated.