NHL 2023 Conference Semifinal Playoff Odds, Matchups And Picks
The 2023 NHL Playoffs continue into the conference semifinal round, and already a pair of huge upsets knocked out top teams. The best remaining in the West face off for Game 1 starting Tuesday, May 2nd with the Seattle Kraken at Dallas Stars. Wednesday begins with the featured series between the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas. The adjusted Stanley Cup odds favor the Toronto Maple Leafs out of the Eastern Conference, who host the upset-minded Florida Panthers on Tuesday. The New Jersey Devils begin play Wednesday on the road against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The record-setting Boston Bruins were eliminated in the opening quarterfinal round. The top seed Bruins lost Sunday in Game 7 to the Florida Panthers as a huge series favorite in the NHL quarterfinals. Then later Sunday night, the Seattle Kraken also went on the road and pulled out a Game 7 win over the Colorado Avalanche, to knock the defending Stanley Cup champions out of the playoffs.
Boston was the biggest favorite in the opening round at -350, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The Avalanche were the next biggest favorite at 3/1 odds to advance. Both upsets were projected and bet by my Canadian sports betting colleague Sherwood, who said “Boston is beatable and Florida is the perfect team to do it,” on his free picks site sportswagers.ca.
NHL game and series odds from FanDuel Sportsbook and leading online sportsbooks refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting.
Eastern Conference
- Toronto Maple Leafs (-184) vs Florida Panthers (+148)
- New Jersey Devils (-122) vs Carolina Hurricanes (+100)
Western Conference
- Dallas Stars (-194) vs Seattle Kraken (+156)
- Edmonton Oilers (-152) vs Vegas Golden Knights (+124)
Adjusted odds to win the Stanley Cup:
In Tuesday’s Florida at Toronto matchup in Game 1, Sherwood is attacking with the underdogs again. He says the Maple Leafs were outplayed and fortunate to advance against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“If Toronto plays like they did in Round 1 against Florida in Round 2, the Leafs will be eliminated in five games,” Sherwood says.
The Panthers have a pair of 40-goal scorers in All-Star Game MVP Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe, along with All-Star Aleksander Barkov. Tkachuk had 5-goals vs the Bruins in the opening round upset, and assisted on the Game 7 overtime goal by Verhaeghe. Tkachuk will be a popular prop bet in Game 1 and throughout the series as a dynamic goal scorer. So will Maple Leafs 40-goal All-Star center Auston Matthews, who netted 5-goals in the opening series win over the Lightning.
Latest Maple Leafs news from the Toronto Star
Sherwood also fires on Seattle (+160) in Game 1 as an underdog, and adds that “Dallas continues to win with a horseshoe up their behinds.” Dallas got past the Minnesota Wild, but the Stars managed a mere 5-17 record against the top 10 and a lackluster 16-21 record against the top 16 teams this season. In betting Seattle to win another playoff series, Sherwood notes that Seattle made an impressive playoff debut by eliminating the defending champion Avalanche in a thrilling seven-game series. This is a solidly-built hockey team with depth and scoring ability. “There is no better value to be had out West tonight, in the series, or to win the Stanley Cup than the Seattle Kraken.”
Wednesday’s Game 1’s start with New Jersey at Carolina (-126). The Hurricanes are favored in the opening contest at home, but the Devils are favored to win the series following their dramatic come-from-behind series win over the New York Rangers in seven games. The unexpected hero was Devils rookie goalie Akira Schmid, who was inserted into the starting role after New Jersey fell behind in the series 2-0 following a pair of 5-1 defeats.
Devils coach Lindy Ruff discussed the change with general manager Tom Fitzgerald, goalie coach Dave Rogalski and Martin Brodeur — who won three Stanley Cups in 21 years as the Devils’ goalie and is currently a vice president with the team.
Schmid played a total of 24 regular season games, but he was the difference in the series and posted two shutouts including a 4-0 win in Game 7. The 22-year-old netminder posted a 1.39 goals against average and a .951 save percentage against the Rangers.
“Schmid played a heck of a game. I mean, he had a heck of a series,” Ruff said following Game 7.
Wednesday’s Game 1 between the Golden Knights and Oilers (-110) will be a heavily bet one as well, and broadcast on ESPN starting at 9:30 p.m. ET.
“There is no doubt the Knights games get the most action,” Westgate SuperBook Vice President of Race & Sports Operations told FOX5 Las Vegas sports reporter Mariah Janos Monday.
I’ll be at Game 2 in Las Vegas, which is being moved from Friday to Saturday, May 6 following the biggest sporting event of the day in the Kentucky Derby. Fitting, as the Oilers top Thoroughbred-like skaters and scorers figure to be a more rested favorite following Wednesday’s Game 1.
The Oilers are up to a -155 favorite over the Golden Knights (+135) to win the series. “It’s a little surprising, because the Knights have home ice,” Kornegay said. “But that’s how respected the Oilers are.”
You can bet if Dallas gets by Seattle in the semis, it will be Vegas or Edmonton who slaps the Stars in the West finals.
