2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final betting
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Puck drop for Game 1 of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers took place on June 3 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The Golden Knights entered the series as slim favourites to win. Vegas has made the playoffs five times since their inaugural season in 2017-18 and this will be their second time in the Stanley Cup Final.
Like the beginning of every other series this year, Florida is entering the Stanley Cup Final as underdogs, but it is by a fairly narrow margin. This is the Panthers’ fourth straight season making the playoffs, but it’s their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 1996.
There are plenty of storylines and betting odds for this series and with that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about betting on the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final.
2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final schedule
Season series: Tied 1-1
Game 2, June 5: Florida at Vegas, 8:00 p.m. ET
Game 3, June 8: Vegas at Florida, 8:00 p.m. ET
Game 4, June 10: Vegas at Florida, 8:00 p.m. ET
Game 5, June 13: Florida at Vegas, 8:00 p.m. ET *if necessary
Game 6, June 16: Vegas at Florida, 8:00 p.m. ET *if necessary
Game 7, June 19: Florida at Vegas, 8:00 p.m. ET *if necessary
Florida Panthers
First round: Won in seven games against Boston
Second round: Won in five games against Toronto
Eastern Conference Final: Won in four games against Carolina
It’s been nearly 30 years, but the Florida Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in franchise history. They’ll be looking for a better result this time around after being swept by the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.
There are some experienced Stanley Cup winners on Florida’s roster. Eric Staal won a Cup as captain of Carolina in 2006 and Carter Verhaeghe won it with Tampa Bay in 2020.
And despite not playing since December, Patric Hornqvist has been a big part of the team behind the scenes and is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017.
Matthew Tkachuk
Matthew Tkachuk just seems built for the playoffs. Son of longtime NHLer Kieth Tkachuk and brother of Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, Matthew scored a career-high 109 points (40 goals, 69 assists) in 79 regular season games in his first season with Florida. He was acquired in a trade with the Calgary Flames last off-season.
Tkachuk is leading the Panthers in the playoffs, tallying 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 16 games. He scored four goals in the Panthers’ four-game Eastern Conference Final sweep against Carolina, including two in overtime and the series winner with 4.9 seconds left in the third period of Game 4.
Already a Hart Trophy finalist, Tkachuk also has the second-best odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy at +340.
Sergei Bobrovsky
Despite being a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, Sergei Bobrovsky didn’t start the playoffs as Florida’s No. 1 option in net. After struggling over the last few years, Bobrovsky started the first round as a backup to Alex Lyon for the first three games against Boston.
Bobrovsky replaced Lyon in Game 3 and was a major reason for the Panthers’ series comeback against the Bruins. Florida trailed the Presidents’ Trophy winners 3-1 in the series before winning in seven games.
Through 14 playoff games (13 starts), Bobrovsky is 11-2 with a 2.21 goals-against average, .935 save percentage and one shutout. He enters the Stanley Cup Final as the favourite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy at +216.
Panthers X-factor: Sam Bennett
From physical play to timely goals, Sam Bennett has been a big factor for the Panthers through three rounds of the playoffs. The No. 4 overall draft pick out of Calgary in 2014 has completely rejuvenated his career since being traded to Florida in April 2021.
Bennett has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 15 games and his massive hit on Carolina defenceman Jacob Slavin in the opening minutes of Game 4 in the East Final can be looked at as a huge momentum boost for the Panthers.
Look for Bennett to make an impact as Vegas’ defensive focus will likely target players like Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov.
Stats to know
Florida has been clutch when it counts, posting a perfect 6-0 overtime record during this year’s playoff run. They’ve actually won nine straight overtime playoff games dating back to 2021.
Among the 16 playoff teams, the Panthers rank sixth on the power play with a 27.9 per cent conversion rate. Their 13th-ranked penalty kill is a little bit deceptive at 71.9 per cent. Florida has allowed 15 goals on 52 opportunities, but 11 of those were given up in the first around against Boston.
The Panthers only allowed two power play goals in the Eastern Conference Final against Carolina, finishing the series a perfect 8-for-8 over the final three games.
Vegas Golden Knights
First round: Won in five games against Winnipeg
Second round: Won in six games against Edmonton
Western Conference Final: Won in six games against Dallas
The Vegas Golden Knights have set the standard when it comes to expansion teams as they prepare to play in the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in the franchise’s six-year existence. They made the Cup Final in their inaugural season in 2017-18, losing in five games to the Washington Capitals.
The Golden Knights have plenty of past Stanley Cup winners on the roster. Alec Martinez and Jonathan Quick each won Stanley Cups with Los Angeles in 2012 and 2014, while Alex Pietrangelo and Ivan Barbashev won with St. Louis in 2019.
Jack Eichel
Jack Eichel’s first foray into the playoffs has gone as well as anyone could hope through three rounds as the former Buffalo Sabres captain is four wins away from winning the Stanley Cup.
After leading Vegas during the regular season with 66 points (27 goals, 39 assists) in 67 games, Eichel is once again pacing the team in the playoffs with 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in 17 games and has the third-best odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy at +431.
It’s a little concerning that Eichel didn’t have a goal in the Western Conference Final, but that could be more of a result of the Golden Knights’ dangerous offence as six different Vegas players have at least 14 points during the playoffs.
The team’s offensive depth means Eichel doesn’t have to carry the load himself and when he doesn’t score, he still contributes in areas like defensive zone faceoffs.
Adin Hill
Adin Hill has been a great story to watch in net as he is one of five goalies the Golden Knights have used this season and began the year at No. 4 on the depth chart behind Robin Lehner, Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit, and in front of Jiri Patera.
With all three goalies ahead of Hill on the depth chart injured, the 27-year-old didn’t take over in the playoffs until 11:44 into Game 3 of the second round against Edmonton.
In his first career NHL playoff run, Hill has a 7-3 record with a 2.07 GAA, .937 SV and two shutouts in 11 games (nine starts).
Golden Knights X-factor: William Karlsson
William Karlsson leads the team with 10 goals in the postseason, but he has also been a solid defensive player and could be tasked with shutting down Tkachuk.
Karlsson was able to stifle Connor McDavid in the second half of Vegas’ series against Edmonton and he limited Dallas’ Roope Hintz to just two assists over the final five games of the Western Conference Final.
Stats to know
The Golden Knights statistically have the deepest roster on offence in this year’s postseason. They have seven different players with at least 11 points, led by Eichel at 18, followed by Jonathan Marchessault (17 points; nine goals, eight assists), Barbashev (15 points; six goals, nine assists), Mark Stone (15 points; six goals, nine assists), Karlsson (14 points; 10 goals, four assists), Chandler Stephenson (14 points; eight goals, six assists) and Reilly Smith (11 points; two goals, nine assists).
Special teams haven’t been great for the Golden Knights. Vegas’ power play is ranked ninth in the playoffs, converting on 18.5 per cent of their chances, and their penalty kill is ranked 14th at just 63 per cent.
Vegas Golden Knights’ best bet: Vegas wins series (-122)
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