NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2026 Round 1 Preview And Odds

The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2026 begin April 18, and the Presidents’ Cup Trophy winner Colorado Avalanche are the favorites to capture the Stanley Cup. The Round 1 matchups are set along with the series odds and Game 1’s, and plenty of anticipation and excitement for playoff hockey.

I chip in more initial coverage at Off Shore Gaming Association. That includes the President’s Trophy winning Colorado Avalanche, who had the best record and most wins during the NHL regular season. But no team has won both the President’s Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same season since the 2012-13 Chicago Black Hawks. In fact, Nine of the last 10 teams to win the President’s Trophy have lost in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

More NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2026 coverage and look at the NHL standings as the season concluded Thursday, April 16 with three teams in the weakest Pacific Division settling the division 2 seed (Oilers) vs. 3 seed (Ducks) with the LA Kings the No. 2 wild card and facing to overall top seed Colorado Avalanche from the Western Conference. Additional Eastern Conference coverage with rosters, players and NHL Stanley Cup 2026 checklist for each team.

Vegas Golden Knights

I’ll be at select Vegas Golden Knights playoff games at The Fortress in Las Vegas. The Knights closed the regular season 7-0-1 under their new head coach John Tortorella after he took over for Bruce Cassidy.

Goaltender Carter Hart is 6-0 with a GAA of less than 2.0 since returning from a lower body (leg) injury after missing three months. He was the No. 2 star of the game in Vegas’ division-clinching win at The Fortress in the regular season finale – the Golden Knights 5th Pacific Division title in their 9th season in the NHL. Hart will be Vegas’ top goalie in the playoffs and start Game 1 against the Utah Mammoth, who are in the playoffs in just the second season since relocating to Salt Lake City.

I was at the emotional VGK debut for Carter Hart in his return to the NHL on Dec. 2 and reporting when Vegas won in overtime against the Chicago Black Hawks. Now Hart is back from injury and appears to be the key piece and player Vegas has been lacking with sub-par goaltending this season. The Golden Knights won the 2023 Stanley Cup in just their sixth season in the NHL. Last year, Vegas was eliminated in Round 2 by the Edmonton Oilers, who advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second-straight season. Edmonton is still shooting for their first Stanley Cup title since 1990, and incredibly, the Oilers have not won a division title since 1987.

Stanley Cup Series Prices

NHL playoff series and daily game odds from Vegas Golden Knights jersey sponsor Circa Sports Las Vegas and leading online sportsbooks refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting. All Round 1 playoff series are 7 games.

East 

– Ottawa (+150) vs. Carolina (-170)
– Boston (+160) vs. Buffalo (-185)
– Montreal (+205) vs. Tampa Bay (-240)
– Philadelphia (+133) vs. Pittsburgh (-153)

West 

– Minnesota (+102) vs. Dallas (-122)
– Utah (+145) vs. Vegas (-165)
– Anaheim (+195 ) vs. Edmonton (-225)
– Los Angeles (+405) vs. Colorado (-520)

Game 1 

Sat., April 18

– Ottawa (+135) at Carolina (-150), Total goals O/U 6
– Minnesota (+107) at Dallas (-119), O/U 5.5
– Philadelphia (+128) at Pittsburgh (-143), O.U 6

Sun., April 19

– Los Angeles (+225) at Colorado (-255), O/U 6
– Montreal (+172) at Tampa Bay (-193), O/U 6
– Boston (+143) at Buffalo (-160), O/U 6
– Utah (+132) at Vegas (-147), O/U 6

Mon, April 20

– Anaheim (+143) at Edmonton (-160), O/U 6.5

Review the 2026 Stanley Cup odds and check back for additional adjusted series prices and follow on X, @FairwayJay for more updates and information you can bet on.

You can bet on it.