NHL Playoff Standings 2022: Latest Stanley Cup Odds and Wild-Card Predictions

The Colorado Avalanche may be heading toward their second consecutive Presidents' Trophy, which is awarded each year to the NHL team that finishes with the most regular-season points.

The Avs are 53-14-6 with 112 points after extending their winning streak to seven games with a 9-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. However, Colorado has set its sights much higher this year. It's hoping to win the third Stanley Cup in franchise history and the first since the 2000-01 season. And if the Avs keep rolling, there's a chance they could be celebrating a championship in June.

But the field isn't set for the Stanley Cup playoffs, which features the top three teams from each of the four divisions and two wild cards from each conference. Colorado is the only Western Conference team that has clinched a postseason berth, while four teams have done so in the East.

Here's a look at the current Stanley Cup odds, followed by predictions for how the battles for playoff spots will shake out.

Colorado Avalanche: +350 (bet $100 to win $350)

Florida Panthers: +550

Toronto Maple Leafs: +900

Calgary Flames: +900

Tampa Bay Lightning: +1000

Carolina Hurricanes: +1000

Boston Bruins: +1400

New York Rangers: +1600

Minnesota Wild: +1600

Pittsburgh Penguins: +1600

Vegas Golden Knights: +2200

Edmonton Oilers: +2500

Washington Capitals: +3000

St. Louis Blues: +3000

Dallas Stars: +4000

Nashville Predators: +4500

Los Angeles Kings: +5000

New York Islanders: +25000

Vancouver Canucks: +25000

Winnipeg Jets: +25000

San Jose Sharks: +100000

Columbus Blue Jackets: +100000

The top two teams from each Eastern Conference division have clinched playoff berths: the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division, and the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers from the Metropolitan Division. And it would be a big surprise if the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals don't round out the postseason field in the East.

The Caps are the No. 8 seed, but they have a 15-point lead over the New York Islanders for the final playoff berth. So it would take a big collapse by Washington (or one of the three teams just ahead of it) to allow either New York or the Columbus Blue Jackets to sneak into the postseason.

That means the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference are essentially playing for seeding down the stretch. There's motivation to win too, as the teams lower in the standings won't want to have to face the Panthers, who will likely end up as the No. 1 seed.

Right now, it would be Washington who would have to go up against Florida in the first round. But don't be surprised if the Capitals play well before the end of the regular season to prevent that from happening. They have won four games in a row, which has pulled them within three points of the Bruins and Penguins.

Neither Boston nor Pittsburgh is going to fall out of the postseason field, but don't be surprised if Washington leapfrogs both. The Caps' high-powered offense has been scoring tons of goals of late, with evergreen captain Alex Ovechkin leading the way. And they should keep that going for the next few weeks.

Because of that, the Bruins and Penguins will drop to the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds, respectively. Of course, what matters most is that they will both be in the playoffs; with the intensity raised, anything can happen from that point.

Over their first four seasons in the NHL, the Golden Knights never missed the playoffs. They reached the Stanley Cup Final in their first year of existence, and they have been among the final four teams standing in each of the past two years.

But if Vegas is going to keep its playoff streak alive, it will need to have a strong finish to the regular season. The Golden Knights are on the outside looking in, as they are in the No. 9 spot in the West, three points back of both the Dallas Stars and Los Angeles Kings.

With eight games to play, Vegas still has a chance to push its way into the postseason. But it will also need to hold off the teams behind it in the process, as both the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets are within four points of the Golden Knights.

The prediction here is that the Kings will play well enough down the stretch to hold on to the No. 3 spot in the Pacific Division. And the Nashville Predators (89 points) will secure one of the two wild-card spots with a strong finish. That will leave the Stars and Golden Knights battling for that final postseason berth.

Vegas and Dallas will face off on April 26, which is fixing to be a huge matchup in deciding the playoff field. But if the Golden Knights can keep their recent momentum going—they have won six of eight, with both losses coming against the Canucks—then they could power their way into the postseason.

Because of its talented roster filled with players who have experience in important games, Vegas will secure the second wild-card spot and be the No. 8 seed for the playoffs. Then it will do its best to try to upset Colorado in the first round.

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