The Stanley Cup finals get underway on Saturday with the Florida Panthers hosting the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1. As the higher seed, the Panthers will have home-ice advantage in the series, with the opening game set for Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
Online sportsbooks have released full betting odds on the first game, as well as for the outcome of the series itself. Below, we’ll look at the latest Stanley Cup odds headed into the best-of-seven series, along with each team’s strengths and weaknesses at this point of the NHL playoffs. For those wondering how to bet on the NHL postseason, keep reading for more info.
Stanley Cup finals odds
Edmonton Oilers
- Odds to win the Stanley Cup:
- 2024 playoff record: 12-6 (6-3 at home)
Edmonton was one of the league’s best teams offensively during the regular season and was second only to the Colorado Avalanche in goals per game during these playoffs. Connor McDavid leads all players in postseason points this season with 31. The next two players on the list — Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard — happen to be his teammates.
The Oilers have really excelled on the power play this postseason, scoring on 37.3% of opportunities with the man advantage. That could be crucial against Florida, a team with more penalty minutes than any other in the playoffs, not to mention one that had the second-highest penalty minute total during the regular season.
Another key will be the goaltending battle. Stuart Skinner has been outstanding at times but has also struggled with consistency. His .897 save percentage in the playoffs puts him in the bottom half of all goalies.
Florida Panthers
- Odds to win the Stanley Cup:
- 2024 playoff record: 12-5 (6-3 at home)
Florida is back in the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row, and this time the team has Matthew Tkachuk at full power. The alternate captain is the most impactful player on the ice for the Panthers in several ways, with a physical style of play that can grind away at teams over the course of a series.
Florida is fourth overall in goals per game during these playoffs but second in goals against. Sergei Bobrovsky has had another excellent season in net, though keeping McDavid and Draisaitl off the score sheet will likely have to be more of a team effort. Only two goalies saw more shots this postseason, but Bobrovsky comes into this series sixth overall with 2.2 goals allowed per game.
Florida has struggled to stay out of the penalty box all year, but the team currently has the second-best penalty kill percentage in this postseason. The Panthers won both regular season meetings between these two teams, with a combined score of 10-4.
Stanley Cup finals Game 1 odds
- Oilers spread:
- Panthers spread:
- Oilers moneyline:
- Panthers moneyline:
- Total:
The Panthers went 26-13-2 at home during the regular season, and two of their six home wins in these playoffs have come by five-goal margins. Only the Winnipeg Jets allowed fewer goals than Florida during the regular season. The last time the Oilers won a road game against the Panthers was in November 2022.
Stanley Cup finals player props
McDavid leads the Oilers in scoring with 31 points this postseason. Left winger Zach Hyman leads Edmonton in goals with 14 through the playoffs. Tkachuk leads the Panthers with 19 points, but he scored just one goal in six games during the Eastern Conference finals. Carter Vergahe leads Florida in playoff goals this year with nine.
How to watch the Stanley Cup Final
- Game 1: Saturday, June 8
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Broadcast: ABC/ESPN+
