Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs concluded Sunday with the Canadiens' Game 7 victory over the Lightning. With eight teams remaining and two Round 2 series already underway, let's look at the biggest movers on the oddsboard after the postseason's opening round.
Stanley Cup odds
| Team | Current Odds | Before R1 Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricanes | +185 | +500 |
| Avalanche | +185 | +275 |
| Golden Knights | +700 | +1200 |
| Sabres | +900 | +1600 |
| Canadiens | +900 | +2500 |
| Wild | +1500 | +1600 |
| Ducks | +2000 | +4000 |
| Flyers | +3000 | +5000 |
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The Hurricanes got a big boost after their Round 1 dominance over the Senators. Carolina moved from +500 to +185, an implied probability increase of 18.4%. Knocking off the Flyers in Game 1 of the second round also helped their chances, but a more significant reason for this jump is the fact that the road to the Stanley Cup in the East no longer goes through Tampa Bay.
The Lightning were +360 to win it all before the playoffs started, which was second on the oddsboard. Their surprising exit spread their win equity across all of the remaining teams in the East.
The Sabres moved from +1600 to +900, and the Canadiens shortened from +2500 to pull even with Buffalo. The Flyers remain longshots, but even their odds shortened from +5000 to +3000 despite dropping Game 1 to the Hurricanes.
In the West, the Avalanche remain the favorites. They got past the Kings with ease in Round 1 and then opened up their second-round series versus the Wild with a thrilling 9-6 victory. Colorado has stayed near or at the top of the Stanley Cup oddsboard for the majority of the season.
Other teams' odds didn't shift that much. The Golden Knights shortened from +1200 to +700, but that difference works out to a 4.8% increase in implied probability. The Wild, who are down a game in Round 2, barely budged, and the Ducks' odds went from +4000 to +2000, but that's only a 2.4% increase in implied probability.
Right now, there's a 33% chance of an Avalanche-Hurricanes Stanley Cup Final. Only time will tell if that matchup comes to fruition.
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