NHL playoffs outright predictions and ice hockey betting tips

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Best bet for the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Dallas Stars to win the Western Conference
1pt 13-2 BoyleSports

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs predictions

The Boston Bruins have enjoyed a phenomenal season and unsurprisingly head the betting to lift the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2011.

Their record 65 regular-season wins helped them to an unprecedented 135 points - 22 more than their closest pursuers, Carolina Hurricanes. Counting back a further 22 points takes in the next 18 teams, while Boston's goal difference of plus 128 was almost double that of next-best Dallas Stars on plus 67.

You might expect a team so demonstrably superior to their rivals to be odds-on to gain the 16 post-season wins they'll need to be crowned champions. But mastering four gruelling best-of-seven playoff series is a very different challenge to dominating the regular season, and that is why the Bruins can be backed at 3-1 for Stanley Cup glory.

After all, it's only four years since Tampa Bay, following a then-record 62 regular-season wins, were swept 4-0 in the first round of the playoffs by unfancied Columbus. 

The Bruins open up against the Florida Panthers, who won two of their four regular-season meetings. On paper the Bruins should come out on top, but there's enough doubt to look elsewhere for a bet.

The three best regular-season records all belonged to Eastern Conference teams, but a team from the west will make the playoff finals and Dallas look value to be the ones.

Defence and strength-in-depth are widely considered central to playoff success in the NHL, and the Stars tick both of those boxes. They ended with the lowest goals-against tally in the Western Conference.

Their offence was also pretty tasty, headed by young Jason Robertson who topped the 40-goal mark for the second year running.

The Stars' path to the final could be blocked by defending champions Colorado and offensive powerhouses Edmonton Oilers, but with a blend of youth and experience Dallas should have the tools to repeat their 2020 Stanley Cup Final appearance.