2019 NHL Playoffs Second-Round Series Odds & Picks

• The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs was historic
• The second round of NHL playoff action will be missing all four division winners
• Neither of last spring’s Stanley Cup finalists made it to the second round

The first-round of the 2019 NHL playoffs was a round like no other.

The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning? Buh-bye. The defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals? See ya. The reigning Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights? Crapped out.

For the first time in @NHL history, all 4 division leaders have been eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs…😐 #Upsets

— Kathryn Tappen (@KathrynTappen) April 25, 2019

For the first time since the NHL went to a four-division format in 1974-75, not a single division winner survived the opening round. Five of eight opening-round series ended in upsets.

The 2019 Second Round opens with a doubleheader Thursday, in Boston and St. Louis.

Full schedule : https://t.co/4KXeTPdFPw #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/bZFf8PTVf8

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 25, 2019

From a betting standpoint, these developments have certainly thrown the chase for Lord Stanley’s mug wide open. If there ever was a year to play a longshot, this year certainly looks to be it.

2019 NHL Eastern Conference Playoffs Second-Round Odds

*Odds taken on 04/25/19

Of the four remaining Eastern Conference teams, only the Boston Bruins (2011) have won the Stanley Cup in the past decade. Carolina won its lone Cup in 2006. The New York Islanders haven’t won the Cup since 1983 and Columbus has never won the Cup.

Feels Like the First Time

Columbus had never won a playoff series since entering the NHL in 2000 but when they finally did it, the Blue Jackets delivered in style. They became the first team ever to sweep a Presidents’ Trophy winner in the first round of postseason play when they took out the 62-win Lightning.

The regular-season series was split 2-2. It featured two overtime games and two blowouts – a 7-4 Blue Jackets win and a 6-2 Bruins verdict.

Columbus has won 11 of its last 12 overall but that one loss was to Boston. The Blue Jackets are a heavier, more physical team than the Toronto club Boston toppled in Round 1. They are solid defensively, goalie Sergei Bobrovsky can steal games, and Cam Atkinson (41 goals) and Artemi Panarin (87 points) are offensive threats.

The @NHLBruins will face the @BlueJacketsNHL in the Second Round, marking their first-ever playoff meeting.

Boston holds an 18-8-4 advantage in 30 regular-season meetings (CBJ: 12-11-7), including a 2-1-0 mark in 2018-19 (CBJ: 1-1-1). #NHLStats #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/Mgg3hD8Krl

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 24, 2019

The Bruins were a dominant home team this season with 29 wins but lost two of four at home to the Leafs. Boston is deeper than in recent springs and should be able to take advantage of rust on the Blue Jackets, who haven’t played since April 16th, to get a jump in this set.

The Pick: Boston Bruins (-140)

Isles Brace for Storm Warning

Both the Islanders and Hurricanes were born in 1972 – the Islanders as an NHL expansion franchise and Carolina as the New England Whalers of the fledgling WHA. They’ve never met previously in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The @NHLCanes’ #Game7 win guaranteed that there will be a new #StanleyCup champion for the 19th time in the past 20 seasons. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/BILkzbUXd3

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 25, 2019

Storming back to beat the Capitals, Carolina saved Islanders coach Barry Trotz from endless questions about facing his old team in the postseason. Trotz led Washington to the Cup last spring and is seeking to join Tommy Gorman (1993-34 Chicago Blackhawks, 1934-35 Montreal Maroons) as the only coach to win consecutive Stanley Cups with different teams.

“It’s allowed us to get healthy. Trust me, we’re fresh. We’ll get the rust off. We haven’t had game action for a bit, but that will come. That’s not an issue. We’re going to be enthused. The less games you can play, there’s a benefit to it.” – Barry Trotz #Isles pic.twitter.com/F9dNa6H5r9

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) April 23, 2019

Carolina beat the Islanders once in four tries this season. The Isles, who swept Pittsburgh, were the NHL’s best defensive club this season but their special teams struggled. This is the fourth time in the playoffs for the Hurricanes since 2002, but in their three previous appearances, they won a Cup (2006), reached the final (2002) and lost the conference final (2009).

The Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (+105)

2019 NHL Western Conference Playoffs Second-Round Odds

Old School Enemies

The playoff rivalry between the Stars and Blues extends back to 1968, their first NHL season, when St. Louis edged the-then Minnesota North Stars in a seven-game semifinal series.

The @StLouisBlues & @DallasStars franchises will meet in the #StanleyCup Playoffs for the 14th time, with St. Louis holding a 7-6 series edge.

They have split the 4 series since the Stars relocated, with the Blues winning the last two (2016 R2: 4-3 W; 2001 CSF: 4-0 W). #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/vfPDA14d9o

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 23, 2019

Overall, it’s their 14th playoff meeting. St. Louis holds a slight 7-6 advantage. Five of those series have gone the distance, including their most recent meeting in 2016.

The Stars were one of the few teams to get to Blues rookie goalie Jordan Binnington. His save percentage against Dallas was .879.

The Stars were one of the few teams to get to Blues rookie goalie Jordan Binnington. His save percentage against Dallas was .879. Stars goalie Ben Bishop was .945 with a 1.90 GAA in their first-round win over Nashville.

Jaden Schwartz joined Phil Roberto (Game 2-4 of 1972 QF) and Red Berenson (Game 1-2 of 1969 SF) as the third player in @StLouisBlues franchise history to account for four consecutive team goals in the postseason. #NHLStats #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/KziEzKJgQe

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 21, 2019

Dallas relies heavily on its top line of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Alexander Radulov. The Blues are deeper and that’ll be the difference.

The Pick: St Louis Blues (-160)

What Will Sharks Have Left in the Tank?

San Jose made history in the first round, rallying to beat Vegas after being down 3-1. Both Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl scored six goals in the series.

Joe Thornton (1,566 GP) will continue his pursuit of his first #StanleyCup. Only two players in NHL history have won the Stanley Cup after skating in 1,500+ regular-season games: Ray Bourque (1,612 GP) and Dave Andreychuk (1,597 GP). #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/HfVAGDiR9c

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 24, 2019

Not only did the Sharks go seven, they needed OT to win the last two games. And they’re an older team that plays a shorter bench.

The @Avalanche joined the Blue Jackets' historic sweep of Presidents’ Trophy-winning Tampa Bay as the second team to eliminate its conference’s No. 1 seed in the 2019 postseason. #NHLStats #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/ot5VZz2fB4

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 20, 2019

The Avs are young and skilled. Nathan MacKinnon might be the best player left in the playoffs. They’ll take advantage of erratic Sharks netminder Martin Jones to pull the upset.

The Pick: Colorado Avalanche (+115)