Before all of us fall into a deep depression which is the NHL offseason, the electric conclusion of the season is right around the corner in what should be an entertaining Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Florida Panthers. Let's take a look at our NHL odds series, for our Stanley Cup Finals series prediction!
Prior to the seasons facing off, 32 teams had their eyes on the prize with one goal in mind: Raising Lord Stanley's Cup. After months of competitive play throughout the league, only two teams remain alive as each one stand in the other's way of seeing their ultimate dreams come true. Whether it is the Vegas Golden Knights or the Florida Panther that hoist the most popular trophy in all sports, it will be well deserved either way no matter the outcome.
Here are our NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
Stanley Cup Finals Odds: Panthers-Golden Knights
Vegas Golden Knights: -130
Florida Panthers: +110
Why The Golden Knights Will Win the 2023 Stanley Cup
For starters, not only do the Golden Knights possess a better record than the Panthers, but the first reason why Vegas will ultimately be the world champs of hockey will be in large part due to a hefty amount of maturing and overall experience gained since losing in the Stanley Cup Finals in their very first year of existence back in 2017-2018. While it was Vegas that made history by reaching the Finals in the franchise's inaugural campaign, they would eventually go down in defeat by losing 4-1 to Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.
On paper, the Golden Knights have multiple names who have won Cups with other teams like Alec Martinez and Jonathan Quick with the Kings in 2012 and 2014, Alex Pietrangelo and Ivan Barbashev with the Blues in 2019, and even veteran center Eric Staal who captured a title with the Hurricanes in 2006. Simply put, Vegas has a firm advantage in regards to championship experience which could end up benefiting them in a major way.
In addition, another big reason why you should wager on the Golden Knights to take home the championship hardware will be because of the feel-good story of goaltender Adin Hill. Coming into the season, it was Hill that found himself fourth on the depth chart with no true shot of earning playing time. However, the goaltending landscape changed quickly when the injury bug took a hold onto this position room. Before he knew it, Hill was starting in the postseason and has since been playing lights out in helping his team get to the Stanley Cup Final. Even more impressively, Hill has dialed up a .937 save percentage and could end up being the biggest difference-maker in this series.
Why The Panthers Will Win the 2023 Stanley Cup
On the other side of things, the Panthers have put together one of the more historic postseason runs in recent history which has included five-straight playoff victories and wins in 11 of their previous 12 postseason outings overall. Simply put, betting against this team won't be for those that are faint of the heart.
Above all else, it would be wise to bet on the Panthers simply due to their ability to strike fear into teams with their ferocious power-play attack. In fact, Florida boasts the sixth-ranked extra-man attack with a conversion rate of 27.9 percent of their power-play opportunities. Indeed, it has been the Panthers' penalty kill that has left much to be desired, so it will be that much more important for Florida to strike gold on their own power-play looks. Simply put, putting up power-play goals should not be a problem for the Panthers in this series.
Most importantly, one big reason why bettors should bet on the Panthers is because of forward Sam Bennett and his game-changing contributions on both ends of the ice. While guys like Matthew Tkachuk and obviously Sergei Bobrovsky's performances will loom large on Florida's chances at their first-ever Stanley Cup, Bennett could be a main X-factor for the Panthers throughout this entire series. So far, Bennett has generated 11 points (four goals and seven assists) and even has laid the lumber on opponents with some big-time hits in crunch time.
Final 2023 Stanley Cup Finals Series Prediction & Pick
It all comes down to this ladies and gentlemen! Without a doubt, this series could be as entertaining as it gets with the amount of star power on both sides. However, it is hard to deny how truly special this Panthers squad has been up to this point, as Florida's historic run will be capped off with the franchise's first-ever Stanley Cup title.
Final 2023 Stanley Cup Finals Series Prediction & Pick: Florida Panthers +110
Follow Us
Subscribe