NHL hockey is back! After a nearly five-month pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, we completed the qualifying and round-robin seeding round and are down to the final 16 teams. Four of the eight series in the qualifying round were won by the lower seed, including the three worst teams in points percentage.
Here are some of the bets we like throughout the postseason. Our panel includes ESPN betting analyst Doug Kezirian, ESPN NHL writers Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski, and Vince Masi from the ESPN Stats & Information group.
Note: The conference title and Stanley Cup picks were made before the postseason started.
Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook unless otherwise noted.
More: Check out the entire NHL playoffs schedule here.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Chicago Blackhawks in under 5.5 games (+100)
Note: At DraftKings
Wyshynski: I like the Golden Knights to sweep here, but if not this series should end in five games. Chicago took advantage of an Edmonton Oilers team with a porous defense, no depth and inexperience with postseason pressure. Vegas are the opposite of all that, and were a buzzsaw in the round-robin.
Carolina Hurricanes to beat Boston Bruins (+135)
Wyshynski: Here's the thing about consensus: It either means people have all figured out a very obvious thing at the same time, or the noise from recent events has caused mass delusion. There's a little bit of both at work in having 13 out of 15 experts on ESPN.com pick the Hurricanes in this series. They demolished the New York Rangers in the qualifying round's only sweep, while the Bruins sleepwalked through the round-robin. But it's also true that Carolina are better than the team that lost to Boston last season, including a torrid first line that could carry them to a series win.
Columbus Blue Jackets to win Eastern Conference (27-1) and Stanley Cup (60-1)
Masi: The Blue Jackets will get many pieces back from injury, including defenseman Seth Jones as well as forwards Cam Atkinson and Oliver Bjorkstrand. If there's one concern, it's the Jackets' offense, which had the lowest even-strength goals per 60 minutes after the All-Star break among the 24 teams returning to play.
Boston Bruins to win Eastern Conference (3-1) and Stanley Cup (6-1)
Kezirian: I would love to pick a long shot, but I just cannot envision a team besides Boston or Tampa Bay prevailing in the Eastern Conference, despite playoff hockey's unpredictable nature. I'll side with the Bruins and the NHL's top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. The trio accounted for 47% of Boston's goals this season, which does raise some concern for the secondary scoring. However, the defense and goaltending are so solid, thanks to Tuukka Rask's league-best 2.12 goals-against average. I like the B's chances to prevail.
Chicago Blackhawks to win Western Conference (12-1)
Kaplan: The prudent bet here is the Colorado Avalanche at +280. They look like the most dangerous (and perhaps balanced) team in the West, and I don't see them having any trouble getting past Arizona in the first round. But if you're looking for a long shot, why not Chicago? If they can defeat Vegas -- and Robin Lehner, a goalie they know well -- who knows how far they could go? Jonathan Toews is playing like it's 2010 again, and there's enough energy and forward depth to make a run. Another tip: don't be afraid to bet the over in any of the Blackhawks' games. Chicago's defense is leaky, but they have the offensive firepower to keep up with anyone.
Sebastian Aho to win the Conn Smythe (17-1)
Note: At DraftKings
Kaplan: Our ESPN crew really likes the Hurricanes in their first-round matchup against the President's Trophy-winning Bruins. It's probably recency bias, as Carolina demolished the Rangers in the qualifiers while Boston struggled through the round-robin, dropping from a No. 1 seed to a No. 4. Should the Hurricanes advance, they have a great chance at the Cup, and it will be their top line that helps carry them there. Aho and linemate Andrei Svechnikov teamed up for six goals and 13 points against the Rangers, and it doesn't look like either is slowing down. I ultimately think Aho, the center and more experienced of the two, will be more productive.
Victor Hedman to win the Conn Smythe (60-1)
Note: At DraftKings
Wyshynski: I have the Tampa Bay Lightning winning the Stanley Cup, which means they're probably going to have the playoff MVP as well. The writers vote on the Conn Smythe, so thinking as a writer, the Lightning have several forwards who could end up being deserving and a goalie in Andrei Vasilevskiy who would be the key to victory. But Hedman is a beloved player by the media, as evidenced by his four consecutive Norris Trophy nominations. If the Lightning win and he has the points and the prestige, he'll be the MVP.