2023 NHL Stanley Cup Predictions

The Stanley Cup is the major ice hockey trophy, being awarded to the NHL’s top professional franchise since 1926. Lord Stanley of Preston, the General Governor of Canada in 1892, gave his name to the world’s most prestigious ice hockey cup. The Western and Eastern Conference Champions compete in a Best-of-Seven series in the final stage of the postseason, offering bettors hundreds of options at valuable NHL betting odds to win Stanley Cup from all leading bookmakers. For the 2023 season, Eastern Champions and title-holders Tampa Bay Lightning, face West’s best team, the Colorado Avalanche. Following our 2023 NHL Stanley Cup predictions, you can find the best bets and prices for all main and secondary markets.

Which are our latest NHL Stanley Cup Predictions

Bookmakers.bet releases two daily picks for each game every mid-June period, as you can see by exploring our NHL predictions section. Our experts’ method is based on an in-depth knowledge of the sport, full stats coverage and extensive research, to suggest where to bet on Stanley Cup winner. Let’s introduce two of our top picks for series outrights.

Tampa Bay Lightning to win the Stanley Cup @2.50 (3/2)

The 2020 and 2021 Champions need four wins to reach a third straight title. Betting on Tampa isn’t a bad pick, especially at an underdog’s 2.50 odds. Indeed, the way to the three-peat is far from easy. During the 1st playoff round, they were on the verge of getting eliminated by the Toronto Maple Leafs. After the sweep against the Florida Panthers, they won four games in a row overcoming a 2-0 deficit to the New York Rangers. Undoubtedly, Tampa Bay has the experience and quality to claim the title. That’s why it’s one of our top NHL Stanley Cup predictions.

Over 6,5 Total Games in the Series @3.00 (2/1)

The Colorado Avalanche has the home-ice advantage for the Finals after seeding higher than Tampa Bay in the regular season. They reached the trophy battle in just 14 games, after sweeping the Nashville Predators in the 1st round and the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Finals. Also, Colorado defeated the St Louis Blues in the 2nd round, so their current form is a main factor for our Total Games in Series pick. Both finalists can take three wins each, and the possibility of a Game 7 pays 3.00 odds.

Exploring the list below, you can find the best Stanley Cup bets for 2023 among leading NHL bookmakers who offer a broad range of NHL betting markets, high odds and offers that can bolster your bankroll.

Which are the best Stanley Cup Bets

We aim to review as many options and strategies as possible to help both novice and sharp ice hockey bettors profit from the NHL Finals. As a bedrock in our method, Bookmakers.bet separates game and series wagering, evaluating risk and reward ratios before introducing this series’ best NHL betting markets. Let’s look at the best Stanley Cup bets for the Finals.

Game Betting

Suppose you follow a game-by-game strategy, which is utterly different from betting on the entire series. Firstly, you must choose your side and select the favourite’s or the underdog’s path, evaluating the offered odds. Then, it’s critical to do some deep research over the finalist you want to back. Injury news and tactics, current form and the days a team gets to rest before the Finals are some primary parameters you must consider. Notice that there will be one day off between games, except for a two-day rest break between Games 1 & 2.

For the 2023 showdown, the one million dollar question applies to Tampa Bay’s ability to face a well-rested opponent. Colorado had eight days off between rounds, compared to the Lightning’s three. That’s why the Champions may be more competitive in Game 2, building their fitness in the two-day rest after Game 1. It seems a better opportunity for them to make a break in regular time or overtime, a top pick among our NHL Stanley Cup predictions.

⏩ Colorado Avalanche vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (Game 2) ⇒ 2 (inc. OT) @ 2.20 (6/5)

Conn Smythe Trophy Winner

Before you predict the Conn Smythe Trophy Winner, it’s critical to look behind the history of previous NHL Finals and explore the fulfilled criteria of their respective MVPs. The skater who will receive the great honour will not only be awarded for his series performance, but for the entire postseason. In the last years, the MVP has come from the Champions’ side. Indeed, Colorado is the odds’ favourite to lift the cup, and influential skater Nathan MacKinnon is one of the dominant Avalanche players and among the top candidates to be the Conn Smythe Trophy Winner at 3.10 odds. However, our experts suggest a tough challenger from the underdog finalist on their Stanley Cup bets predictions.

Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has been effectively facing must-win conditions throughout his career. He’s one of the top goalies of the NHL’s modern era, determining Tampa Bay’s results. Just consider the fact that when he allowed three or more goals during this postseason, the Lightning secured only three wins from eight games. On the other hand, when he conceded two or fewer, Tampa Bay won all those nine games.

⏩ Conn Smythe Trophy Winner ⇒ Andrei Vasilevskiy @ 4.00 (3/1)

Stanley Cup Top Goalscorer

There is no shootout process in the postseason and during the Stanley Cup series after a possible tie in the 60-minute regular time. Overtime periods are played, and each overtime lasts 20 minutes. So, any goals scored in overtime count for all skaters who compete for the Finals Top Goalscorer award. For the 2023 season, Steven Stamkos is no longer a favourite.

However, he’s Tampa Bay’s first goalscorer during both regular and postseason with 42 pieces. The 32-year-old is the fifth favourite behind Mikko Rantanen (5.50), Nathan MacKinnon (6.00), Nikita Kucherov (7.00) and Gabriel Landeskog (8.00). He has nine goals in the current postseason, so, the profitable pick on the Canadian star skater is among our Stanley Cup Finals predictions.

⏩ Stanley Cup Top Goalscorer ⇒ Steven Stamkos @ 8.50 (15/2)

Series Leader After 4 Games

The odds on the Finals work differently at the beginning of the series compared to the ones halfway. You can place an outright bet predicting the score at the beginning of the series or back the leading team after four games. Both finalists in that crucial point will have played two home clashes each; the 2-2 draw is amid the top Stanley Cup bets based on odds, and the explanation is obvious. Both Colorado and Tampa Bay can defend their home-ice advantage and exploit their strengths, while making one break each.

The Avalanche have a fast pace in their game, applying pressure to the opposite defence. Only three teams this century have scored four goals per game in the postseason, and Colorado is one of them. On the flip side, Tampa Bay has an influential goaltender like Andrei Vasilevskiy (39-18, 2.49 GAA, 0.916 SV the current season), along with the top defender, Victor Hedman. Undoubtedly, they can take at least two out of four games.

⏩ Series Leader After 4 Games ⇒ Draw (2-2) @ 2.60 (8/5)

Total Goals in Series

The offensive effectiveness of both contenders needs a comprehensive stats analysis and a probable scenario for bettors who will attempt to make a profit from total goals in the series. Firstly, you must predict the number of Stanley Cup games; if a Game 7 becomes necessary, then the ‘Over’ on both finalists seems a decent option.

Colorado Avalanche: Do you want to bet on Stanley Cup winner? Colorado can make it if they keep up the exceptional offensive performances they have had so far in the postseason. The Avalanche recorded an eight-goal game, two seven-goal and two six-goal clashes on their route to the Finals. They can produce an average of more than 40 shots per game, so the option to score more than 17 goals in seven games seems possible.

⏩ Total Goals in Series - Colorado Avalanche ⇒ Over 17,5 @ 1.90 (9/10)

Tampa Bay Lightning: With a duo of 129 assists and six skaters with more than 20 goals each, the Lightning can talk big about their scoring productivity. Tampa Bay has appeared in 65 postseason games over the last three years, with skaters like Stamkos (42 goals, 64 assists), Hedman (20 goals, 65 assists) and Kucherov (25 goals, 44 assists) shining all along. The line on 17,5 goals can be achieved.

⏩ Total Goals in Series - Tampa Bay Lightning ⇒ Over 17,5 @ 1.90 (9/10)

Total Power-Play & Empty-Net Goals

The optimal situation for ice hockey teams is to play as much as they can at full-strength or 5-on-5 conditions. Power play goals or pieces scored when a finalist has a one or two-man advantage, can hugely impact the series. Both title contenders play excellent umbrella and overload formations based on 5-on-4 conditions. They have great skaters able to move the puck in the opposite direction and defensive zone, making quick shots. The option of Over 9,5 power-play total goals in the series seems profitable.

⏩ Total Power-Play Goals in Series ⇒ Over 9,5 @ 1.87 (87/100)

Our experts expect close games- and series- in their NHL Stanley Cup predictions, so there is an increasing possibility of more than three empty-net goals; especially if a Game 7 becomes necessary, that number is reachable. During the Finals, it’s highly expected that both teams will need at least one goal in the regular finish. That condition seems an excellent chance for the opponent to score an empty netter if the under-pressure team leaves its net defenceless pulling the goaltender out. We evaluate the line as low, so you can take advantage of it.

⏩ Total Empty-Net Goals in Series ⇒ Over 2,5 @ 1.87 (87/100)

How to Bet on Stanley Cup Finals

If you are looking to risk money on your picks or on our NHL Stanley Cup predictions, either for daily or futures bets, you should follow a specific path to understand what you can achieve based on the odds and your available bankroll. So, follow our footprints and learn how to bet on Stanley Cup to make a profit.

Follow main markets: Moneyline, puck line and totals markets, are the most profitable ones for ice hockey. In all cases, you take a 2-way street choosing between the favourites’ and underdogs’ odds and the best lines. That means you theoretically have 50:50 winning chances to win.

Use stats: Sharp ice hockey bettors use stats in their favour to analyse the behaviour and the potential performance of the team they’re backing. Power-play and kill ratios, Corsi metric, teams and players averages should be analysed in order to create a sufficient betting model.

Early payout offer: Leading bookies provide an early payout offer in ice hockey. You can take advantage, especially in the Stanley Cup Finals, where the underdog franchise can make upsets and win your bet when the team you back takes a 3-goal lead during the game.

Bet on underdogs: Remember that you have to deal with the best NHL teams, so there aren’t major differences between the two contenders. Betting on moneyline underdogs or against the spread by backing home teams, is a profitable option you must consider.

Top Stanley Cup Betting Tips

The easy part of betting on the NHL Finals is that you need to put only the two finalists under your radar compared to the regular season and the previous postseason stages. The latest news on injuries and bans, coaches’ tactics and the public opinion about the series results are some of the factors you must definitely check before placing bets. Follow our Stanley Cup betting tips and enhance your winning chances rolling on the ice.

Follow injury news: There are reliable resources for all the latest info about injuries and bans where you can find lists of absences and their stats cover. It’s the safest path to understand the impact of a player’s possible absence from the games.

Home-ice advantage: It’s not weird that in sports, most athletes perform better at home than on the road. The same applies to ice hockey, and that’s why all franchises are fighting for the home-ice advantage during the regular season. When you back a favourite in a Stanley Cup game, pay attention to the overtime possibility; in that case, it seems that home teams have more chances of winning due to their fans’ support.

Goaltending factor: A critical parameter you should analyse when breaking down Games 1 & 2 and coaches’ tactics. There are two main ice hockey-related stats for goaltenders; the Goals Against Average and the Save Percentage. Following these metrics, you can understand how often a goalie allows a goal and if he saves shots efficiently.

Public betting: Sharp bettors evaluate consensus but rarely follow public betting trends; we follow the same strategy before releasing our Stanley Cup Finals predictions. It’s essential to determine when a selection attracts a lot of money, although a possible odds movement may be caused by other parameters like a key player’s absence.

Full List of Bookmakers for the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Finals

Here you can find a complete list of the best NHL bookmakers where you can explore and enjoy the highest odds for moneylines, puck lines and totals Stanley Cup bets for the Colorado Avalanche vs. Tampa Bay Lightning showdown.