The NHL playoffs, also known as the Stanley Cup playoffs, is a tournament that takes place at the end of the regular ice hockey campaign with the aim of determining the winner of the legendary Stanley Cup, the highest accolade achievable in the sport. There are four rounds in the playoffs, which is played in a best-of-seven format, and it’s eight teams from the Eastern Conference and eight teams from the Western Conference that will battle it out.
The final round of the playoffs is the Stanley Cup Finals, where the conference champions will go head to head. The NHL playoffs usually begin in late April, and from there, they progress towards the finish until the final, which will be no later than June 24 this year.
The sixteen teams competing in the playoffs in 2024 are the Florida Panthers, the Boston Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the New York Rangers, the Carolina Hurricanes, the New York Islanders, the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Washington Capitals, the Dallas Stars, the Winnipeg Jets, the Colorado Avalanche, the Vancouver Canucks, the Edmonton Oilers, the Los Angeles Kings, the Nashville Predators and reigning Stanley Cup champions the Vegas Golden Knights.
Who Are The Favourites To Win The NHL Playoffs?
There are a handful of teams seen as being in the running to win the NHL playoffs in 2024 and, therefore, become Stanley Cup champions. The four teams are the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers. Of the four, and according to the latest odds, which are subject to change, the Oilers and the Panthers are most likely to produce the overall winner this season. The Florida Panthers made it to the final last year and missed out, so they have the credentials and will be aiming to go one better this time.
What Are The Popular NHL Playoff Betting Markets?
The NHL playoffs are when the ice hockey season ramps up, and here are the betting markets that coincide with them.
Stanley Cup Winner Outright Betting
The ultimate aim for any team that makes the NHL playoffs is to go on and win the Stanley Cup, so it’s a very popular outright betting market that is available during the regular NHL season and beyond. Betting on a team in this market, of which the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers currently lead the way where the odds are concerned, means you’re placing a wager on who will lift the Stanley Cup in June. The Vegas Golden Knights are the reigning champions.
Winning Conference Outright Betting
The NHL playoff system works by teams in their respective conferences – Eastern and Western – battling out to progress to the Stanley Cup final, where they have a chance of lifting the prestigious trophy. Therefore, when the final has been played, and the result is known, the winning team will come from either the Eastern Conference or the Western Conference. It makes betting on the winning conference straightforward. It’s a 50/50 shot between the two. Last year’s winners, the Golden Knights, were from the Western Conference.
NHL Playoff Game Betting
The NHL playoff series is a big deal, and multiple games will be played with four rounds utilising a best-of-seven format. Betting on these individual games is popular, either before the action begins or in play. As the playoffs progress, conditions such as a team being in a must-win scenario can be taken into account, as well as the form shown. In-play betting is popular, too, as the playoff games are broadcast live in many territories.
NHL Playoff Recent Winners
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner Up |
| 2013 | Chicago Blackhawks | 4-2 | Boston Bruins |
| 2014 | Los Angeles Kings | 4-1 | New York Rangers |
| 2015 | Chicago Blackhawks | 4-2 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2016 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4-2 | San Jose Sharks |
| 2017 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4-2 | Nashville Predators |
| 2018 | Washington Capitals | 4-1 | Vegas Golden Knights |
| 2019 | St. Louis Blues | 4-3 | Boston Bruins |
| 2020 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 4-2 | Dallas Stars |
| 2021 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 4-1 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 2022 | Colorado Avalanche | 4-2 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2023 | Vegas Golden Knights | 4-1 | Florida Panthers |
NHL Playoff FAQs
BetVictor has you covered if you want to bet on the NHL, playoff series and the Stanley Cup final. You can place bets on the action before and during play from a range of devices, which includes smartphones.
Visit BetVictor to bet on the NHL playoffs. You must first register to become a member. The NHL coverage on the site is found under Ice Hockey on the A-Z sports menu.
NHL Betting
The NHL is one of the leading sports brands in North America, which is why ice hockey odds, which cater for the NHL, are regularly sought out. Among the odds offered for ice hockey and the NHL at BetVictor are Stanley Cup odds, as you will expect, due to how big winning it is in ice hockey and sport in general.
