The National Hockey League suspended the 2019-20 regular season on March 12, and the league has been looking for a way to return ever since. The league has agreed to come back at some point this summer and finish out the season.
There will be no more regular-season games, and the league will head straight into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but they will look different this time around. There will be 24 teams invited to participate in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the bottom eight teams from each conference competing in a playoff round to reach the round of 16.
The top four seeds in each conference will compete in a round-robin style tournament to determine the seeding for the playoffs. Even though the structure will look different, the Stanley Cup Playoffs will once again provide some great excitement.
FanDuel Sportsbook has released its odds to win the 2020 Stanley Cup, and they have included all 24 teams in the field. It is unclear how the long layoff will affect the playoffs this year, or how the new format will work.
Expect these odds to change from now until the start of the playoffs, but now is a great time to get in on the action. Here is a quick look at the current odds as well as a breakdown of some teams to watch.
Current Odds From FanDuel Sportsbook
- Boston Bruins +600
- Tampa Bay Lightning +600
- Colorado Avalanche +800
- Philadelphia Flyers +850
- Vegas Golden Knights +850
- Washington Capitals +900
- St. Louis Blues +1100
- Dallas Stars +1500
- Pittsburgh Penguins +1800
- Edmonton Oilers +2300
- Toronto Maple Leafs +3000
- Calgary Flames +3500
- Vancouver Canucks +3500
- Minnesota Wild +4000
- New York Islanders +4000
- New York Rangers +4000
- Carolina Hurricanes +4200
- Nashville Predators +4200
- Arizona Coyotes +4500
- Winnipeg Jets +5500
- Florida Panthers +6000
- Columbus Blue Jackets +6500
- Chicago Blackhawks +8000
- Montreal Canadiens +8000
Bruins Looking For Revenge
The Boston Bruins rolled through the Eastern Conference Playoffs a season ago but were upset in the Stanley Cup Finals by the St. Louis Blues. Boston has been on a revenge tour all season long, and they were rolling before play was suspended.
The Bruins are led by Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, and they can score goals in a hurry. Goaltender Tuukka Rask is one of the best in the game, and the Bruins have all of the pieces needed to make another deep run.
Avalanche Favored In West
The Colorado Avalanche currently have the best odds out of teams from the Western Conference, even though the St. Louis Blues are the defending champions. Colorado is loaded with young talent, and that could suit them well after a long layoff.
Colorado had racked up 92 points before the shutdown and was just two points behind the Blues. Center Nathan MacKinnon is one of the best offensive players in hockey, and he could go on a tear to lead his team through the playoffs.
Blackhawks, Canadiens Provide Plenty of Value
If you are looking for value, look no further than the bottom two teams on the list. The Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens are both listed at +8000, meaning you could win big if they win it all.
Both teams were well out of the playoff race when the league was suspended, but they will now get a second chance. Even though the two teams are huge underdogs, a case could be made that they could go on a deep run.
Western Conference teams will fear a team like the Blackhawks as they have tons of Stanley Cup Playoff experience. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are two of the best in the game, and they can carry their team on a run.
