2017 Stanley Cup odds: Blackhawks emerge as betting favorite

With the Stanley Cup playoffs just two days away, it looks like us at Second City Hockey aren’t the only ones who like the Hawks chances to win the Cup. According to Bodog, the Chicago Blackhawks have emerged as early betting favorites to hoist Lord Stanley this season, for their fourth Stanley Cup in eight years.

Per @BovadaLV, Stanley Cup odds: pic.twitter.com/8TbxCPJBOk

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) April 10, 2017

With 4/1 odds on the board, the Hawks sit just ahead of the Washington Capitals (9/2), who have lingered at the top of the board throughout the season.

The Blackhawks’ first-round opponent, the Nashville Predators, sit towards the bottom of the futures board at 25/1, along with the Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs.

According to OddsShark, the Blackhawks opened the season with 9.5/1 odds, just behind the current Stanley Cup championships, the Pittsburgh Penguins, who opened at 9/1. The Penguins odds began to fall throughout the season, with injuries working their way through their roster. Perhaps the most significant loss is Kris Letang, who will miss the entire playoffs with a neck injury. Pittsburgh now sit with 8/1 odds to hoist the Cup, tied with the Minnesota Wild.

Chicago has remained towards the top of the odds board all season, never falling out of the top five despite some ups and downs on the ice. The Hawks enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference following their second 50-win season in franchise history, and will have to face the Wild or Blues in the West semifinals if they get past Nashville.

Here’s the complete bracket, via NHL.com:

Here’s the 2017 NHL postseason bracket. pic.twitter.com/Ll6H2UMqRh

— Satchel Price (@SatchelPrice) April 10, 2017

The 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Wednesday, with Game 1 between the Blackhawks and Predators set for Thursday night at the United Center.