NHL Playoffs First Round Matchups and Odds

The Stanley Cup playoffs are finally here! Sixteen teams are embarking on their playoff journey after an 82-game regular season. This season was full of excitement, from unbelievable records being broken to surprise teams securing home-ice advantage as top seeds in their conferences.

Now that the 16 playoff teams are set, let`s take a look at the first-round matchups and betting odds for each series, courtesy of DraftKings as of Thursday.

Eastern Conference

The Washington Capitals attracted a lot of attention with Alex Ovechkin chasing Wayne Gretzky`s all-time goal record. They had an excellent season, securing the No. 1 seed and a matchup with the Montreal Canadiens. The defending champion Florida Panthers are also in the Eastern Conference playoffs, along with perennial contenders Tampa Bay and Carolina.

Washington Capitals vs Montreal Canadiens

• Money line: Capitals -330, Canadiens +260
• Spread: Capitals -1.5 (-145), Canadiens +1.5 (+125)

The Capitals were one of the season`s overachievers relative to preseason expectations. Ovechkin achieved the all-time record, and Washington saw career-best years from Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome, who were second and fourth in team goals, respectively, helping Washington rank second in NHL goals this year.

The Canadiens were the last team to secure a playoff spot, doing so near the end of the regular season. Nick Suzuki has had a fantastic year with 89 points, but he and Cole Caufield are the only Canadiens with at least 70 points this year. Montreal conceded the tenth-most goals this season, the most among playoff teams.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators

• Money line: Maple Leafs -170, Senators +145
• Spread: Maple Leafs +1.5 (-320), Senators +1.5 (+250)

Mitch Marner led Toronto in points, exceeding 100, while captain Auston Matthews had fewer than 80, a lower mark for him as he missed some time this year. These two were among four Maple Leafs with at least 70 points this season. In goal, Anthony Stolarz had a great season with a .926 save percentage in 33 starts.

Goals have sometimes been difficult for the Senators, ranking 21st in that category. Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson were the only Senators to reach 60 points this season, while star Brady Tkachuk, who missed 11 games, led the team with 29 goals. Linus Ullmark is the Ottawa goalie and had a .911 save percentage, allowing 2.67 goals per game in 43 appearances.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers

• Money line: Panthers -115, Lightning -105
• Spread: Panthers +1.5 (-220), Lightning -1.5 (+180)

The two Florida teams meet in the first round. The defending champion Panthers hope for the return of star Matthew Tkachuk, who has been out injured. Without Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart has led Florida with 81 points. Sergei Bobrovsky, who was excellent in the Panthers` title run last year, had a good year in net with a .905 save percentage.

As for Tampa Bay, the Lightning are first in the NHL in goals scored and best in the Eastern Conference in goals allowed. Nikita Kucherov led the NHL in points and was one of four Lightning players with at least 80 points. Andrei Vasilevskiy had a .921 save percentage and allowed only 2.18 goals per game.

Carolina Hurricanes vs New Jersey Devils

• Money line: Hurricanes -245, Devils +200
• Spread: Hurricanes -1.5 (-115), Devils +1.5 (-105)

The Hurricanes are a top-10 team in goals scored and goals allowed, despite having only two players with over 60 points: Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis. Pyotr Kochetkov has had his worst year in net, with his first sub-.900 save percentage of his career.

The Devils have one of the best defenses in hockey but rank in the bottom half of the league in goals scored. The Hughes brothers, Jack and Luke, have combined for over 110 points, and Jesper Bratt set a new career high. Jacob Markström is New Jersey`s top goalie, and the veteran posted a .900 save percentage this year.

Western Conference

The Western Conference goes through Winnipeg. The Jets are the top seed in the West, ahead of perennial contenders like Vegas and Dallas. Winnipeg had the best record in the NHL this season and will face the St. Louis Blues. Here`s a look at that matchup and the other three series in the West.

Winnipeg Jets vs St. Louis Blues

• Money line: Jets -180, Blues +155
• Spread: Jets -1.5 (+120), Blues +1.5 (-140)

The Jets were considered a fringe playoff contender before the season, but they finished as the best team in the NHL. Winnipeg is a balanced team, and with goaltending so crucial in the playoffs, the Jets must feel confident with Connor Hellebuyck in net. He is a significant reason why the Jets allowed the fewest goals in the league this season. Winnipeg lacks a true top star with massive offensive numbers, but Kyle Connor leads the way with just under 100 points, helping the Jets rank in the top five in scoring.

The Blues secured a wild card spot in the final days of the season. St. Louis is also a balanced group, ranking in the top half of the NHL in goals scored and allowed. Robert Thomas leads the team in points, while Jordan Kyrou leads in goals. Veteran goalie Jordan Binnington provides stability in net and has extensive playoff experience, recording a .914 save percentage in the Blues` 2018-19 title run.

Vegas Golden Knights vs Minnesota Wild

• Money line: Golden Knights -205, Wild +170
• Spread: Golden Knights -1.5 (+110), Wild +1.5 (-130)

Jack Eichel had his best year with over 90 points, and Adin Hill has been excellent in net for Vegas all year, with a save percentage over .900. The Golden Knights have a very experienced roster for postseason play, with key players like Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev.

The Wild earned a wild card berth after an inconsistent season. They rank in the bottom 10 of the NHL in goals scored and are in the middle of the pack in goals allowed. Goalie Filip Gustavsson has played very well over the last two months, with a save percentage in the .910s since the start of March.

Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche

• Money line: Stars +120, Avalanche -140
• Spread: Stars +1.5 (-195), Avalanche -1.5 (+155)

This matchup features many familiar faces for playoff hockey followers. The Stars are once again a very balanced team, ranking in the top six in goals scored and allowed. Matt Duchene and Jason Robertson both surpassed 80 points, while goalie Jake Oettinger had a .911 save percentage, consistent with his .912 career percentage.

The Avalanche are in the top 10 in goals scored and in the top half of the league in goals allowed. Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in assists, and Cale Makar again demonstrated he`s one of the best two-way players in the league with over 90 points. Goalie has been a question mark for Colorado in recent years, but Mackenzie Blackwood seems to have stabilized the net for Jared Bednar`s team since being traded from San Jose this year.

Los Angeles Kings vs Edmonton Oilers

• Money line: Oilers -135, Kings +115
• Spread: Oilers +1.5 (-270), Kings -1.5 (+225)

The Kings enter the playoffs as one of the top defensive teams in hockey, ranking second in goals allowed. Goalie Darcy Kuemper is allowing just over 2.00 goals per game. That defense will be tested by Edmonton in this series. The Oilers are just outside the top 10 in goals scored, but the duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is still a major threat, as both helped Edmonton reach Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals last season.