Stanley Cup 2022 expert picks and predictions: Will the Avalanche's home record be enough, or can the Maple Leafs cause at upset?

We’re just days away from the start of the NHL Stanley Cup 2022 playoffs, a tournament that many consider the best in professional sports. The NHL’s incredible parity — 14 different franchises have claimed the Cup over the past 22 years — means that anything’s possible when the postseason comes around, and this spring promises to be no different.

To help you with your Stanley Cup 2022 picks, we’ve broken down the top three favorites on the NHL Stanley Cup 2022 betting odds, identified three darkhorse contenders and suggested three teams that might be worth longshot wagers in your Stanley Cup 2022 predictions.

Colorado Avalanche (+350)

The Avalanche have already clinched top spot in the West, guaranteeing they’ll enjoy home-ice advantage throughout the conference playoffs. No team in the NHL has been more dominant at home this season than Colorado, which entered the week 31-4-3 at Ball Arena where it has outscored its opposition by nearly 1.7 goals per game. They’re also extremely well-balanced, entering the week with four players (Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon, Nazem Kadri and Cale Makar) averaging more than a point per game, and they’ll get a boost when captain Gabriel Landeskog returns from knee surgery in early May.

Florida Panthers (+550)

When you have an offense like Florida’s league-leading attack, you’re never out of a game. Led by Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov, the Panthers have won five games this season in which they trailed by three or more goals, including a pair of comebacks from four-goal deficits. Florida isn’t showing any signs of slowing down as the playoffs approach, riding a 10-game winning streak into this week’s action. Even though the Panthers haven’t won a playoff series since going to the Stanley Cup Final in their third year of existence, they’re the clear team to beat in the East and will be one of the most popular Stanley Cup 2022 picks among NHL bettors.

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Calgary Flames (+750)

Calgary entered the week as the only other team shorter than 10/1 on the NHL playoffs 2022 betting odds, and for good reason. The Flames have essentially locked up first place in the Pacific, meaning they’ll face a wild card team in the opening round and wouldn’t meet Colorado until the conference finals. Calgary’s also excellent at both ends of the ice, ranking third in goals against and sixth in goals for.

Toronto Maple Leafs (+1000)

The Leafs have been a trendy Stanley Cup betting pick for years, but with Auston Matthews favored to win league MVP and three others averaging a point per game, this might finally be their season. Toronto has scored the second-most goals in the league and features a lethal power play that has converted nearly 28% of its opportunities on the campaign. Goaltending is a question mark but if the Leafs can get out of the first round for the first time since 2004, they’ll be a team nobody wants to face.

Carolina Hurricanes (+1000)

No team in the NHL has been better defensively this season than Carolina, and not just because the Canes have allowed the fewest goals in the league. The Hurricanes also own the NHL’s best penalty-killing unit and give up a league-low 29 shots per game, which could help them go far in the playoffs despite an unproven netminding tandem of Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta.

Tampa Bay Lightning (+1100)

Not only are the Lightning the Stanley Cup 2021 winners, they’re the two-time defending champions who also hoisted the Cup in the Bubble in 2020. That means they’ve had to play a lot of hockey over the last two years, so you might want to cut them some slack for what has been a mediocre regular season (by their lofty standards). With Andrei Vasilevskiy in net, Victor Hedman anchoring the blue line and Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos headlining a deep and talented forward corps, the Lightning can never be counted out.

Boston Bruins (+2000)

It’s not often that you find a team this solid at both ends of the ice ranked at 20/1 on the NHL Stanley Cup futures. But that’s where the Bruins sit on the NHL playoffs 2022 odds, largely because they’ll probably finish as a wild card and could have to face Carolina and Florida in the first two rounds. If veterans Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak can spark Boston’s underachieving attack (the Bruins rank second in shots per game but 15th in goals), the stingy Bruins will be an extremely tough out.

https://twitter.com/NHLBruins/status/1519849274971987968

Pittsburgh Penguins (+2500)

Pittsburgh is back for its 16th straight playoff appearance — the longest current streak among teams in the major North American sports — and the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang have won three Stanley Cups during that time. The Pens may also be flying a bit under the radar after enduring injuries to Crosby and Malkin this season.

Vegas Golden Knights (+2800)

In their first four years of existence, the Knights have reached the semifinals or beyond in three of them. That’s a heck of a pedigree for a +2800 darkhorse, a price we’re only getting here because the Knights currently find themselves out of a playoff berth. With goaltender Robin Lehner and top forwards Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty back from injuries in time for the stretch drive, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise if Vegas finds a way into the NHL playoffs 2022 tournament and then goes on another lengthy run this spring.

We've covered all bases with our Stanley Cup coverage this year. If you think you're ready to take the advice of our expert hockey handicapper, you can check out our free Stanley Cup picks.

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