NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2023: Odds, Picks And Series Insights

The puck is ready to drop for the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2023, and the Stanley Cup odds favor the record-breaking Boston Bruins. The B’s are not my pick to win the Cup, and look no further than other recent record-breaking regular season performances (2019 Tampa Bay Lightning swept as No. 1 seed opening round, 2022 LA Dodgers lose in division series) to see that the playoffs present new and more demanding challenges. I provide opening round NHL series matchups, odds and add insight in my correspondence from a Canadian professional better.

Read my of my NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2023 coverage in Forbes as the playoffs begin April 17.

Is there a team like the 2018 Vegas Golden Knights that can go against all odds and win the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2023?

NHL Series Matchups and Odds

NHL game and series odds from Caesars Sportsbook refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

• No. 1 Boston Bruins (-400) vs No. 4 Florida Panthers (+310)
• No. 2 Toronto Maple Leafs (-175) vs No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning (+148)

Metropolitan Division

• No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes (-205) vs No. 4 New York Islanders (+170)
• No. 2 New Jersey Devils (-130) vs No. 3 New York Rangers (+110)

Western Conference

Pacific Division

• No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights (-170) vs No. 4 Winnipeg Jets (+143)
• No. 2 Edmonton Oilers (-278) vs Los Angeles Kings (+222)

Central Division

• No. 1 Colorado Avalanche (-320) vs Seattle Kraken (+250)
• No. 2 Dallas Stars (-150) vs No. 3 Minnesota Wild (+126)

Full playoff odds going into Round 1. Avs most likely to have a first round sweep. https://t.co/RbnckCMfDn pic.twitter.com/06AByM0kFx

— MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) April 16, 2023

Florida +310 over Boston

The Bruins have the Eastern Conference’s leading scorer in David Pastrnak (61 goals, 113 points) and top goalie in Linus Ullmark (1.89 goals against average and .938 save percentage). Well noted by Sherwood, who is just not as impressed with the Bruins as this price is.

“Boston is beatable and Florida is the perfect team to do it,” Sherwood says.

Rangers vs Devils

This is the closest and maybe the best 1st round series where bettors should focus on the underdog in every game because every game is a 50/50 proposition. Two great teams loaded with talent, and “thus the underdog will hold the value on a game to game basis,” says Sherwood.

Wild vs Stars

“Dallas will be the most overpriced team in the playoffs, and they are not that good,” Sherwood said. They beat up cupcakes all year. A closer look shows that Dallas was 5-17 against Top-10 teams this year and 16-21 against top-16 teams. The Stars only winning percentage came against teams that missed the playoffs.

See more game previews and predictions in my opening series odds at Forbes.

I’ve bet the Minnesota Wild as initial preferred series pick and Florida Game 1 and series. Others and more with adjusted odds during series.

I’ll be at select Stanley Cup Playoff games in Las Vegas with some added NHL coverage from a Vegas and betting perspective.

You can bet on it.