AP
These Stanley Cup playoffs should be a real hoot for casual fans and bettors alike.
There are currently 10 teams priced between +650 and 14/1 odds, and there hasn’t been a clear favorite all season.
If the race for the Stanley Cup is wide open, that means that the Conn Smythe market will be just as crazy, which means there will be plenty of value on the betting board for punters.
Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado) and Connor Hellebuyck are the favorites to win the award at 14/1 at bet365, with Connor McDavid (Edmonton) close behind at 16/ odds1.
Of those three, Hellebuyck is the only one who has a shred of value because he’s edging up toward double the price of the Jets to win the Stanley Cup.
If Winnipeg is to hoist the trophy, Hellebuyck would be pretty close to a lock to win the Conn Smythe, so you may as well back him at 16/1 instead of the Jets at +950.
Outside of Hellebuyck, there are several standout prices much further down the board:
Darcy Kuemper, Los Angeles Kings
(100/1, bet365)
There are a handful of Kings I could be talked into betting, but Kuemper stands out as the best option.
He’s been one of the most consistent goaltenders in the NHL all season, and he will benefit from playing behind one of the stingiest defenses in the field.
The Kings are a score-by-committee team, so it’s unlikely one player will post a stat line that makes him a runaway winner, and that makes Kuemper a great shot to take home the award at 100/1 on a team that has a legitimate chance to win the Stanley Cup.
Pavel Dorofeyev, Vegas Golden Knights
(270/1, FanDuel)
Perhaps the most unheralded 30-goal scorer in the league, Dorofeyev had a breakout campaign playing top-six minutes for the Golden Knights.
He’ll likely ride shotgun with Tomas Hertl or Jack Eichel for the entire postseason and play on the first power-play unit, so Dorofeyev has every chance of leading this team in goals in the playoffs, just as he has in the regular season (34).
If he does that, and Vegas lifts another Cup, he’ll be in the running.
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Charlie Lindgren, Washington Capitals
(500/1, bet365)
This is a sneaky one.
Logan Thompson was projected to be the No. 1 goaltender for the Capitals for most of the season, but he’s been sidelined with injury of late, putting his status for Round 1 in doubt.
That means Charlie Lindgren, who essentially split duties with Thompson all season, could get the nod for Game 1 and beyond for the juggernaut Caps.
In other words, you’re looking at the opportunity to get 500/1 on the starting goaltender on a team that is 10/1 to win the Stanley Cup.
That’s just way too much upside to pass up.
Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators
(500/1, FanDuel)
The Senators are one of the biggest long shots in the field at 33/1, but they’re a talented bunch that has played some terrific hockey down the stretch.
Ottawa is 15-5-3 since March 1 and has been playing at a 101-point pace since Jan. 1. That makes the Sens a dangerous team in the wide-open Eastern Conference.
If the Senators do make a surprise run, it’s likely Jake Sanderson will play a massive role.
The 22-year-old has emerged as Ottawa’s No. 1 defenseman this season, posting 55 points and averaging more than 24 minutes of ice time per game.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.