2023 NHL playoffs: How to bet, odds and full schedule

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After a gruelling 82-game regular season, the NHL playoffs finally kicked off on Mon., April 17. Sports bettors can get in on the action from the opening puck drop by visiting Sports Interaction for complete betting odds.

Here’s everything you need to know to bet on the 2023 NHL playoffs.

Eastern Conference

Florida Panthers vs. Boston Bruins

Game 1, April 17: Florida at Boston, 7:30 p.m. ET

Game 2, April 19: Florida at Boston, 7:30 p.m. ET

Game 3, April 21: Boston at Florida, 7:30 p.m. ET

Game 4, April 23: Boston at Florida, 3:30 p.m. ET

Game 5, April 26: Florida at Boston, TBA

Game 6, April 28: Boston at Florida, TBA

Game 7, April 30: Florida at Boston, TBA

Season series: Tied 2-2

Florida and Boston have very different stories entering the playoffs. The Panthers barely squeaked into the postseason after winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season, while the Bruins set NHL records for most wins and most points in a season.

Matthew Tkachuk needs to be the X-factor in this series for Florida to have a shot. Tkachuk is a gritty in-your-face player who seems designed for the playoffs. He also provides elite offence, with his career-high 109-point season equalling 31 points more than the next closest player on the roster.

Boston is coming off the best regular season in NHL history, but everything resets for the playoffs. Keep in mind, it was only four years ago that Tampa Bay was swept by Columbus in the first-round of the playoffs after winning the Presidents’ Trophy with a 62-win regular season. Still, the Bruins are just too deep at every position for their season to end this early.

Best bet: Boston to win Eastern Conference (+195)

New York Islanders vs. Carolina Hurricanes

Game 1, April 17: New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m. ET

Game 2, April 19: New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m. ET

Game 3, April 21: Carolina Hurricanes at New York Islanders, 7 p.m. ET

Game 4, April 23: Carolina Hurricanes at New York Islanders, 1 p.m. ET

Game 5, April 25: New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes, TBA

Game 6. April 28: Carolina Hurricanes at New York Islanders, TBA

Game 7, April 30: New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes, TBA

Season series: Hurricanes won 3-1

Despite Carolina winning the Metropolitan Division and the Islanders holding a wild-card spot, this should be a tight series.

Goalie Ilya Sorokin gets the credit for keeping the Islanders’ season alive and he will give them a solid chance to win this series. Sorokin finished the regular season ninth in wins (31), sixth in goals-against average (2.34), third in save percentage (.924) and led the league with six shutouts.

Carolina could be in trouble with Max Pacioretty and Andrei Svechnikov done for the year due to injuries. There will be a lot of pressure to produce offence for the Hurricanes’ two leading scorers, Martin Necas and Sebastian Aho. Necas led the team with 71 points in the regular season, while Aho had 67 points and a team-high 36 goals.

Best bet: Islanders win series in seven games (+600)

New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils

Game 1, April 18: New York at New Jersey, 7 p.m. ET

Game 2, April 20: New York at New Jersey, 7:30 p.m. ET

Game 3, April 22: New Jersey at New York, 8 p.m. ET

Game 4, April 24: New Jersey at New York, 7 p.m. ET

Game 5, April 27: New York at New Jersey, TBA

Game 6, April 29: New Jersey at New York, TBA

Game 7, May 1: New York at New Jersey, TBA

Season series: Devils won 3-1

The Battle of the Hudson is one of the more anticipated opening-round series’ this year. New York is looking to make another deep playoff run after reaching the Eastern Conference Final last year, while New Jersey is in the postseason for the first time since 2018.

The Rangers loaded up on firepower leading up to the trade deadline, trading for Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane. Still, the most important player on New York’s roster is goalie Igor Shesterkin, who has the ability to steal a series.

This is a young, unproven Devils team. They’re more skilled, with the likes of Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier each having breakout seasons, but the playoffs are a different beast and the roster lacks experience.

Best bet: Series lasts seven games (+200)

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Game 1, April 18: Tampa Bay at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. ET

Game 2, April 20: Tampa Bay at Toronto, 7 p.m. ET

Game 3, April 22: Toronto at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m. ET

Game 4, April 24: Toronto at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. ET

Game 5, April 27: Tampa Bay at Toronto, TBA

Game 6, April 29: Toronto at Tampa Bay, TBA

Game 7, May 1: Tampa Bay at Toronto, TBA

Season series: Maple Leafs won 2-1

Toronto and Tampa Bay are meeting in the first round for the second straight season. Toronto blew a 3-2 series last year, falling to the Bolts in seven games.

After three straight Stanley Cup Finals appearances, is Tampa Bay finally out of gas? The Lightning have been dealing with injuries all season, but don’t count them out as long as goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy remains between the pipes.

This is a last-chance effort for Toronto’s core after losing in the first round each of the last six years. The depth is bolstered this year with additions like Ilya Samsonov and Ryan O’Reilly at centre, but this will come down to Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares leading the way.

Best bet: William Nylander top goalscorer in series (+500)

Western Conference

Winnipeg Jets vs. Vegas Golden Knights

Game 1, April 18: Winnipeg at Vegas, 9:30 p.m. ET

Game 2, April 20: Winnipeg at Vegas, 10 p.m. ET

Game 3, April 22:Vegas at Winnipeg, 4 p.m. ET

Game 4, April 24: Vegas at Winnipeg, 9:30 p.m. ET

Game 5, April 27: Winnipeg at Vegas, TBA

Game 6, April 29: Vegas at Winnipeg, TBA

Game 7, May 1: Winnipeg at Vegas, TBA

Season series: Golden Knights won 3-0

Vegas is in the playoffs for the fifth time in the franchise’s six-season history, winning the Pacific Division with the Western Conference’s best record. The X-factor in this series is the availability of captain Mark Stone, who has missed the last three months with a back injury. Stone’s return to the lineup would be a huge boost for the Golden Knights.

The Jets are back in the playoffs after missing out last year for the first time in five seasons. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who had the fourth-best save percentage in the regular season, will need to be Winnipeg’s best player if the Jets want to move on.

Best bet: Vegas wins series 4-2 (+400)

Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers

Game 1, April 17: Los Angeles at Edmonton, 10 p.m. ET

Game 2, April 19: Los Angeles at Edmonton, 10 p.m. ET

Game 3, April 21: Edmonton at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET

Game 4, April 23: Edmonton at Los Angeles, 9 p.m. ET

Game 5, April 25: Los Angeles at Edmonton, TBA

Game 6, April 29: Edmonton at Los Angeles, TBA

Game 7, May 1: Los Angeles at Edmonton, TBA

Season series: Tied 2-2

Edmonton and L.A. are facing off in the first round for the second straight year. The Oilers slipped past the Kings in seven games last season en route to an appearance in the Western Conference Final.

All eyes will be on Edmonton captain Connor McDavid, who tore up the NHL this season with 64 goals and 153 points. German sniper Leon Draisaitl also has the potential to be a series-breaker after finishing second in the NHL with 128 points.

This is a banged-up Kings team. Kevin Fiala, L.A.’s second-leading scorer with 72 points, has missed the last two weeks with a lower-body injury, while Gabe Vilardi has missed three weeks with an upper-body injury.

Anze Kopitar played all 82 games for L.A. this season and led the team with 74 points, but at 35 years old, it’s fair to question whether he can keep up with McDavid and Draisaitl.

Best bet: Series finishes under 5.5 games (+125)

Seattle Kraken at Colorado Avalanche

Game 1, April 18: Seattle at Colorado, 10 p.m. ET

Game 2, April 20: Seattle at Colorado, 9:30 p.m. ET

Game 3, April 22: Colorado at Seattle, 10 p.m. ET

Game 4, April 24: Colorado at Seattle, 10 p.m. ET

Game 5, April 26: Seattle at Colorado, TBA

Game 6, April 28: Colorado at Seattle, TBA

Game 7, April 30: Seattle at Colorado, TBA

Season series: Kraken won 2-1

The defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche clinched the Central Division crown on the last day of the regular season. The Seattle Kraken, on the other hand, have reached the playoffs for the first time ever in just their second season in existence after a massive 40-point improvement over last year.

Colorado took a significant hit with the news that captain Gabriel Landeskog will miss the entire playoffs. The remaining core of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and last year’s Norris and Conn Smythe winner Cale Makar is still incredibly dangerous and led the Avalanche to a 31-7-4 record over the last three months.

The status of two former Colorado players will be impactful for Seattle in this series. Goalie Philipp Grubauer has struggled at times this season, splitting playing time with Martin Jones. The Kraken will also be without Andre Burakovsky, who had 39 points in 49 games, to start the series because of a lower-body injury suffered in February.

Best bet: Colorado to win Western Conference (+279)

Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars

Game 1, April 17: Minnesota at Dallas, 9:30 p.m. ET

Game 2, April 19: Minnesota at Dallas, 9:30 p.m. ET

Game 3, April 21: Dallas at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m. ET

Game 4, April 23: Dallas at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m. ET

Game 5, April 25: Minnesota at Dallas, TBA

Game 6, April 28: Dallas at Minnesota, TBA

Game 7, Apri 30: Minnesota at Dallas, TBA

Season series: Tied 2-2

The Dallas Stars are trying to avoid a second straight first-round playoff exit, while the Minnesota Wild are trying to snap an ugly streak of six straight first-round playoff exits.

Jason Robertson and Jamie Benn should be big factors for Dallas in this series. Robertson set career-highs with 46 goals and 109 points this season, while Benn’s 78-point campaign was his highest point total since 2017-18.

Minnesota is gambling on an unorthodox approach to their goaltending in the playoffs. The Wild are expected to go with a tandem, rotating between 38-year-old three-time Stanley Cup winner Marc-Andre Fleury and 24-year-old Filip Gustavsson.

Best bet: Series tied after four games (+145)

Visit Sports Interaction for complete NHL game odds, props and futures bets.

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2023 NHL playoffs: How to bet, odds and full schedule

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

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2023 NHL playoffs: How to bet, odds and full schedule

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

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