The 2023-24 Stanley Cup Playoffs are quickly approaching, with 16 teams set to battle it out for the ultimate prize. This is always a very exciting time of the year for hockey fans and sports fans in general. Postseason puck is a treat to watch and it shouldn't be any different this time around. Ahead of the opening round, the Carolina Hurricanes are one of the favorites, but the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers both sit at +650 odds to win as well. The Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, and Boston Bruins are also expected to be in the mix. Continue reading for the Stanley Cup futures.
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2024 Stanley Cup Futures
| Team |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +750 | +650 | +700 |
| Colorado Avalanche | +850 | +650 | +750 |
| Dallas Stars | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Florida Panthers | +750 | +700 | +750 |
| New York Rangers | +900 | +900 | +850 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +1100 | +1100 | +1000 |
| Boston Bruins | +1200 | +1100 | +1100 |
Hurricanes (+650)
The Hurricanes will head into the playoffs as one of the best teams in the league. Carolina sits at 52-22-7 on the season, which is second in the Metropolitan Division behind only the New York Rangers. The Canes have one game left on their schedule and have won five in a row, most recently beating the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. This is a very solid group on both ends of the ice, ranking seventh in goals scored and third in fewest goals allowed. Sebastian Aho leads the way, while trade deadline acquisition Jake Guentzel is doing his part as well. There's nine different players with a minimum of 40 points. Carolina is no stranger to a deep playoff run, just missing out on a Cup appearance last season as they lost to the Panthers in the conference finals.
Oilers (+650)
Year after year, Edmonton is considered a contender. But, they always fail to go all the way, mostly due to poor defending and goaltending. But in 2023-24, the Oilers seemingly corrected that problem, allowing only 2.84 goals per night and the fifth-fewest shots on target per contest. Connor McDavid is having another ridiculous campaign, putting up 130 points, including 31 goals and 99 assists. Leon Draisaitl also surpassed the 100-point mark. McDavid has missed the last two games with a lower body injury, but it's not considered serious. The LA Kings are likely going to be Edmonton's first-round opponent.
Stars (+750)
Last year's Western Conference Finalists haven't missed a beat this season. Dallas has won the Central Division with an impressive 51-21-9 record for a total of 111 points and have gone 8-2-0 in their last 10 outings. In other words, the Stars head into the postseason on fire. This is another team that is fundamentally sound on both ends. Offensively, the depth is impressive. Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski, Roope Hintz, and Matt Duchene are among six players with at least 60 points. Up and down the roster, there is players who can produce. That's a scary thing in the playoffs.
Panthers (+750)
A lot of people called Florida's Cup run a year ago a fluke. Well, that was far from the truth. The Panthers are one point behind the Bruins for first place in the always competitive Atlantic Division with a 51-24-6 record. This is a very good club with the playoff experience to go all the way. Sam Reinhart's breakout year with 92 points has set the tone for Florida, but the likes of Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, and Vladimir Tarasenko are all contributing at a high level as well. The Panthers are enjoying a three-game winning streak ahead of their season finale against the Maple Leafs.
Avalanche (+850)
While Colorado is slumping lately, they're still a dangerous team who won the Stanley Cup two seasons ago. This is the best offense in the league, scoring 3.68 times per game. A big reason for that is Nathan MacKinnon, who has 51 goals and 86 assists on the season. Mikko Rantanen also sits on 102 points, including 40 goals and 62 helpers. A lot of this roster helped Colorado win it all. They will have a tough test in the opening round though in the Winnipeg Jets.
Golden Knights (+1100)
The reigning Stanley Cup champions didn't have the best campaign and will go into the playoffs as a Wild Card. That being said, you cannot underestimate Vegas. Their roster is essentially the same as a year ago and on the big stage, anything is possible for the Golden Knights. The core of Jonathan Marchessault, Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and William Karlsson are dangerous at any moment. Stone is set to return at some point in the first round from a lacerated spleen, which should give Vegas a huge boost. They will have the Stars in the opening round, though.
Bruins (+1200)
It's actually a bit surprising Boston is so far down the list considering they have 109 points, one of the highest marks in the NHL. Perhaps it's due to their collapse in the 2022-23 playoffs. The Bruins are led by David Pastrnak, who has 109 points in 80 games (47 goals, 62 assists). Brad Marchand, who nearly retired last offseason, is still chipping in, compiling 67 points. Both Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark performed well in between the posts this season, conceding the fifth-lowest amount of goals in the league. Boston has the Lightning in Round One.
Stanley Cup Futures Picks
The playoffs haven't even begun, so it's probably best to make a few picks. I like the Panthers, Hurricanes, and Stars. Things could change, but for the time being, those are three solid bets.
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