Golden Knights, Kings, Wild Feature Value to Win Stanley Cup

• Despite being the top three Western Conference seeds, the LA Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, and Minnesota Wild all sport +1100 or longer odds to win the Stanley Cup.
• The shortest odds to win it all are dominated by Eastern Conference teams, comprising three out of the four most favorited teams.
• Each team has proven their worth in different ways, the Kings are phenomenal at power plays, the Wild have a stifling defense and goaltender, and the Golden Knights are one of the best coached teams with prior Stanley Cup experience.

NEW YORK CITY – With under 10 games left to play in the current NHL season, all attention has turned to the Stanley Cup playoff odds with many wondering who will win. When looking at betting odds, the Eastern Conference dominates the top spots leading to strong value for the top three Western Conference seeds.

Among the top four teams, three of them are from the Eastern Conference with the only Western Conference team being the reigning champion Colorado Avalanche. NHL sportsbooks online have thus given the Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, and Minnesota Wild odds that are all longer than +1000, providing heaps of value.

Stanley Cup Winner Odds'

The Case for Each Top Western Team

Evidently, it seems that oddsmakers have generally counted out most of these teams, with the only one in the top five being the Golden Knights.

Among the top seeded Western teams, the Golden Knights are likely the best mix of value at +1100 odds and feasibility. They also feature the most recent success of the bunch, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in their inaugural 2018 season.

This year, they set themselves apart by being one of the most disciplined and well-coached teams in the whole league. This is evidenced by their league-low penalty minutes, which is invaluable to protect against power plays, especially against the high-powered offensive teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Kings are the next team by odds at +1500, and they excel in a much different way than the Golden Knights. Mainly, this is due to their power play success, as they have 63 power play goals on the year, good enough for fourth place.

They also rank highly in total goals, with an average of 3.45 on the season, slotting them in to fifth overall for that category. Their offense is by far the most impressive part about this team and is what sets them apart in the Western Conference, however, their defense and penalty kill leave much to be desired.

The Wild, despite being the third seeded team in the West, are listed at +1600 odds by online sportsbooks. Their defining feature is their standout defense led by goaltender Filip Gustavsson.

On the season, the Wild have registered the third least goals against per game at an impressive 2.62 and sport the third best save percentage at just under 92%. The age-old adage “defense wins championships” is certainly what this squad is hoping for, and an impressive playoff run by Gustavsson could be exactly what they need to seriously push for a title.

Overall, while none of these teams are slam dunks, they are all very strong values, as it is not often that the top three seeded teams in the conference are all given odds as long as +1100 or more. It would be wise for NHL bettors to consider placing one unit (1% of bankroll) on the previously mentioned teams.

Whether bettors value offense, defense, or coaching, there is a team to bet on for each. In the event that any of these teams can complete a masterful run through the playoffs, any wagers placed now would payout at least over 11 times the money put in, if not more.