The NHL season is in full swing, but it is far away from the end, as fans from all over the globe are tempted to see who will make it to the playoffs. There is still enough time for many teams to fulfill their dreams and have the opportunity to participate in the famous Stanley Cup, whose trophy is the crown of every successful season.
Surprises are always possible, but bookmakers always have their favorites whom they award with the highest odds. As an NHL fan, you are probably well aware of how things and the odds can change fast, as this is one of the most delicate and adrenaline-spiked sports, which is why learning more about the teams and favorites is always a good idea. So, let’s check the list of the most possible winners for this season.
The Regular Season
Let’s start with the basics and explain how challenging it actually is to win the regular NHL season. Namely, 32 teams are divided into two divisions, and each of them has to play 82 games during one season, with a similar principle as the one in the NBA, but nonetheless, quite exhausting for the players.
The season usually starts in October and ends in April, when fans all over the world can enjoy playoffs. Playoffs bring us more interesting games, and the main goal of each team is to win the Stanley Cup, which means the most interesting part of the NHL season is about to come.
As already mentioned, even though the system is similar to the NBA, unlike basketball, where teams showcase their best solely in Playoffs, in the NHL every game matters, which is why matches are so popular and exciting.
Playoffs
The main goal of each team during the regular season is to end up in the first three places of the division table, as it is the certain card for playoffs and the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup, which is one of the most prestigious titles for one NHL squad.
Besides three teams from each division, one from each of them can participate in the Stanley Cup via wildcard. Of course, each team tries its best to end the regular season in the first three places so they can focus on their playoff games instead of thinking about Wildcard.
Yes, it’s great to have all the options at the table and explore them, but it’s also much better to have everything in your hands than to have to wait for fate and luck to step in.
Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers are currently in a position that led them to the playoffs, but they are not in the first place on the Western Conference table. The main reason for that is the injury of one of the key players, Connor McDavid.
However, they have one of the best offenses in the entire league, and thanks to McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they can be almost sure they will have their place in playoffs.
Besides that, new coach Kris Knoblauch found a common language with goalie Stuart Skinner, who struggled with previous coach Jay Woodcroft, so the Oilers are rightfully in the first place for NHL winners, according to bookmakers.
Boston Bruins
Speaking about the Eastern Conference, the first squad we need to mention is the Boston Bruins, and there are many reasons for that. Their offense is great, their defense is one of the best in the league, and their goaltending is a great recipe for ending the season in the high place on the table.
Although their goaltending duo of Swayman and Ulmark struggled during the season, there is still enough time for better matches, and the Bruins lay their hopes into them.
They lost in a seven-game series against their rivals, Florida Panthers, in the first round, but nothing is over yet. For fans who love stats and history, the Bruins can expect to win the Stanley Cup, as the top five teams on the NHL’s single-season wins list have won the Stanley Cup the following season.
Colorado Avalanche
According to the bookmakers, shoulder to shoulder with Oilers, Avs are favorites for winning the NHL league and bringing the Stanley Cup trophy home. They are currently ahead of the Oilers in the Western Conference table, and NHL fans from all over the globe cannot wait for the playoffs, as they are almost certain Avs will make it to the top three.
Previous matches showed that it is almost impossible to beat them at their home ground thanks to the amazing players such as Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen, and many people have high expectations of this squad.
Florida Panthers
Winning the Conference one year doesn’t grant anything, but this is not something that we can say about the Florida Panthers. Namely, they are the defending Eastern Conference champions, and this year, they have a great chance to defend that title.
Everything about the Panthers seems good, from the coaching staff to players and everything that makes one franchise great. The only issue this team might have is in the goal, but it’s not because of the injury or that their current goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky, is bad, but everyone agrees that his biggest flaw is consistency.
Much will depend on his ability and form in the goal, but even if the Florida Panthers don’t defend their Eastern Conference title, they will be more than happy to win the Stanley Cup and lift the trophy.
To summarize
There are still many matches left until the end of the regular NHL season, which means it is pretty challenging to predict the winner, but people who love to try their luck in betting already have their favorite.
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