Lightning Enter Playoffs as 2020 Stanley Cup Favorites; Bruins Second While Vegas Leads West

• The Tampa Bay Lightning are favorites to win the Stanley Cup at +550
• As the NHL returns to play, should you go with a favorite or roll with a longshot?
• See the latest Stanley Cup odds and which teams are realistically in contention

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins have been here before.

Last season, the Lightning were favored to win the Stanley Cup. The Bruins were a win away from capturing Lord Stanley’s mug.

Neither was successful in their mission but the oddsmakers are certain that they’ll be back for more.

The Lightning and Bruins, both housed in the Atlantic Division, are listed as the top favorites in the 2020 Stanley Cup odds. On average across the leading sportsbooks, Tampa Bay is the +550 chalk. The Bruins are next at +600.

Several sports betting sites list these Atlantic Division rivals as Cup co-favorites.

2020 NHL Stanley Cup Odds

Odds as of July 27th.

On pause since March 12th due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHL will return to the ice on Aug. 1 with 24-teams still in contention for the Stanley Cup. Teams will compete in two COVID-19 protected bubbles.

The Eastern Conference teams are gathering in Toronto. The Western Conference will play in Edmonton.

Will Lightning Finally Strike?

The Lightning have sought to finish the deal for five seasons. Tampa Bay lost in the 2015 Cup final and twice since have exited in the Eastern Conference final.

They also missed the playoffs once and, last spring, were stunned in four games by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round after winning the Presidents’ Trophy.

Watch out Canada, the @TBLightning are on the way! They'll be there through October!!! #GoBolts #BeTheDistantThunder pic.twitter.com/avKtSPih1G

— ThunderBug (@ThunderBugTBL) July 26, 2020

Tampa Bay appears to have all the required pieces. There’s a Hart and Art Ross Trophy-winning forward in Nikita Kucherov, a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman in Victor Hedman ,and a Vezina Trophy-winning goalie in Andrei Vasilevskiy.

The Lightning were 21-6-3 in their last 30 games. Tampa Bay fashioned 10 and 11-game win streaks this season.

Eastern Contenders

The Bruins lost Game 7 of the Cup final to the St. Louis Blues last season. Since 1984, the 2008 Pittsburgh Penguins are the only losing finalist to come back to win the Cup the following season.

Business trip bound. 💼 pic.twitter.com/bQU3MALLxi

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) July 26, 2020

The Philadelphia Flyers were the NHL’s hottest team at the time of the COVID-19 pause, on a 9-1 roll. Can the Flyers, who haven’t won the Cup since 1975, pick up where they left off?

Western Warriors

Don’t count out the Blues. They’ll have almost their entire lineup intact from last year, including lethal finisher Vladimir Tarasenko, out since early in the season following shoulder surgery.

👋 @tara9191 #stlblues pic.twitter.com/PdxRP1HH1S

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) July 26, 2020

The Colorado Avalanche have assembled the type of team that’s built for the playoffs. Leading scorer Nathan MacKinnon is a Hart Trophy finalist and rookie defenseman and 50-point producer Cale Makar is up for the Calder Trophy.

Value Bets

As long as the Pittsburgh Penguins feature Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, they’ll be a threat to win it all.

Hoping for the longest road trip ever.

See you soon, Toronto. pic.twitter.com/7K4ZbCV5pj

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 26, 2020

Many pundits believe offense will be ahead of defense at the outset of the restart. If so, the Edmonton Oilers or Toronto Maple Leafs could offer stellar value.

The Pick

Four years ago, the Avalanche were the NHL’s worst team. The next season, they made the playoffs. Last season, they won a round.

We had major wins.
We had devastating injuries.
We had an unprecedented pause.

But now? We're back at it.#GoAvsGo https://t.co/3CMNadVThY

— x – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) July 11, 2020

This year, Colorado goes all the way.

Pick: Colorado Avalanche (+900).