NHL Stanley Cup Final Betting Preview - 2024

Something has to give in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, beginning Saturday evening.

Either the Florida Panthers, hosting the first two games, win their first Cup as a franchise which began play in 1993-94, or the Edmonton Oilers hoist their first Stanley Cup since 1990.

Edmonton also carries the hopes and dreams of Canada, as the Great White North hasn’t had a team win the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens of 1992-93. Montreal whipped the Los Angeles Kings in five games.

Currently, it’s the Panthers as -137 favorites to win (Edmonton at +117), according to Stanley Cup Final odds.

Here’s a look at this pairing, and some of the top bets that should be made on the series…

How They’re Here

The Florida Panthers won the East by defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games, then the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers in six games each. Florida eliminated the Presidents’ Trophy-champ Rangers by winning the last three games of that conference-final series.

The Edmonton Oilers won the West by disposing of the Los Angeles Kings in five games, whipping the Vancouver Canucks in seven (winning last two) and the Dallas Stars in six (winning last three). Edmonton closed out both Vancouver and Dallas on the road.    

Meet the Teams

The Edmonton Oilers (regular-season 49-27-6), second in the Pacific Division, and the Atlantic Division-champion Florida Panthers (52-24-6) are somewhat of a contrast in styles.

Edmonton was among the higher-calibered offenses in the league, 294 goals during the season. Florida, meanwhile, was the second-stingiest defense, having surrendered just 200 goals.

Florida went 2-0 against the Oilers during the season.

Even to the casual hockey fan, Connor McDavid needs no introduction. McDavid ended the regular season with 132 points (32 goals, league-leading 100 assists), seventh 100-plus point season in a brilliant nine-year career. This is his first Final appearance.

McDavid has a playoff-leading 26 assists and 31 points this season.

His roster of running mates include Zach Hyman (career-high/team-leading 54 goals this season) and Leon Draisaitl (41 goals this season, three 50-plus goal seasons in career).

Hyman’s 14 goals and McDavid’s 26 assists lead both postseason categories.

Stuart Skinner won 36 games during the season, fortifying what was a questionable goalie situation with the Oilers.

Kris Knobluach replaced Jay Woodcroft as Edmonton coach early in the season, 46-18-5 (including a 16-game win streak) in 69 games.      

This wasn’t a year ago, when the Florida Panthers of coach Paul Maurice were the last team in the playoffs, then shocked pretty much everyone (especially the Boston Bruins) to win the East.

Florida is a ‘heavy’ team,’ defined by giving the opposition no room. Sergei Bobrovsky, whose dozen victories lead all postseason goalies, is the main reason the Panthers are in this series.

Sam Reinhart was Florida’s version of Zach Hyman, career-best 57 goals (league-leading 27 with the man-advantage). There’s a lot of balance with the Cats, including Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov (combined 119 assists) and Carter Verhaeghe (34 goals).

‘Exacting’ the Outcome

While the Florida Panthers enter the Stanley Cup Final as tepid choices over the Edmonton Oilers, there are certainly other betting options to consider, as per Stanley Cup props.

If you can pinpoint exactly how this series is going to unfold, take a shot with these wagers…

Florida Panthers 4-0     10-1 (+1000)
Florida Panthers 4-1     11-2 (+550)
Florida Panthers 4-2     9-2 (+450)
Florida Panthers 4-3     17-4 (+425)
Edmonton Oilers 4-0     12-1 (+1200)
Edmonton Oilers 4-1     15-2 (+750)
Edmonton Oilers 4-2     9-2 (+450)
Edmonton Oilers 4-3     11-2 (+550)
Winning the Smythe
The Conn Smythe Trophy, the MVP of the playoffs, is also an intriguing wager.

Edmonton’s Connor McDavid is favored to win this award at the outset of the series, but it’s a board that figures to move as the Final advances.

McDavid is beginning at 9-4 (+225), with a trio of Florida Panthers in Aleksander Barkov (4-1 [+400]), Sergei Bobrovsky (9-2 [+450]) and Matthew Tkachuk (6-1 [+600]). Then, Leon Draisaitl of the Oilers is at 7-1 (+700).

Anyone outside of these ‘usual suspects’ is a longshot.

McDavid and Oilers

In what figures to be a terrific pairing in the Stanley Cup Final, it may come down to a case of the Edmonton Oilers having Connor McDavid. Edmonton needs to get one game (at least) in Sunrise, but the road has not been an obstacle to the Oilers during this postseason.

White the Florida Panthers do not give the opposition much (if anything), go with the Oilers +117. Throw in wagers on the series going the distance and McDavid winning the Conn Smythe.