They’ve already defeated them once recently, and the Boston Bruins have another chance to underline their status as 2023 Stanley Cup favorites when they visit Colorado to face the Avalanche on Wednesday night; here we take a look at their chances of another win over their rivals in our latest NHL betting picks.
The Bruins are the current Vegas Odds Stanley Cup 2023 betting favorites. They overtook the Colorado Avalanche in the betting after defeating the 2022 Stanley Cup champions 5-1 at home last Saturday.
The Bruins are now +550, with the Avalanche at +600. The Vegas Golden Knights (+850) are also closing in on the two favorites, this after their shootout win over the Bruins on Monday.
With the Bruins in such good form, and the Avalanche struggling like they are, you might feel the gap in the odds could be bigger. I can only assume that the reason it isn’t is that the Avalanche currently have an injury crisis. And with the NHL season being long and demanding, there is a good chance they will come back strong further down the road.
| 2023 Stanley Cup Winner Betting |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | +550 | +525 | +525 |
| Colorado Avalanche | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +850 | +800 | +800 |
| New Jersey Devils | +1100 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +1400 | +1400 | +1300 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +1400 | +1300 | +1200 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +1600 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Florida Panthers | +1800 | +1800 | +1700 |
| Calgary Flames | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| New York Rangers | +2200 | +1900 | +2000 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +2200 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Dallas Stars | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
The above NHL betting odds are taken from BetOnline, one of our recommended NHL bookmakers. For more details about their latest offers, please check out our BetOnline sportsbook review.
The Colorado Avalanche has had a torrid time this season, and as yet, Jared Bednar’s side is really to get going in their defense of the Stanley Cup they won last season.
Their last ten record reads 5-5-0, and they’re also on a losing streak of two. Their two most recent defeats have come at the hands of the Flyers (5-3) on Monday and the Bruins (5-1) last Saturday. Before those two defeats, the Avalanche did have a 6-4 win away at the Sabres, but even that came on the back of a 5-0 loss to the Jets. And conceding four to an average Sabres team isn’t very inspiring.
The Avalanche seem to be struggling to string two performances in a row together, and with the current injury list growing by the week, all that the defending Stanley Cup champions seem able to do at the moment is to hang in there.
As we’ve alluded to, the NHL season is a long one, and the Ave will get players back as the campaign continues, and as long as they can ensure they reach the postseason playoffs, then they will be serious contenders for back-to-back Stanley Cup wins.
As for the Bruins, they have suffered a setback, losing at home to the Golden Knights. But by and large, it has been a successful season. The defeat was a long time coming and unexpected, and it means their record for their last ten matches now reads 8-1-1.
Despite the setback, the Bruins still sit top of the Atlantic Division and even have three matches in hand on second-placed Toronto Maple Leafs.
Before that defeat, the Bruins had wracked up wins over the Avalanche (5-1), Lightning (3-1), Hurricanes (3-2), Lightning (5-3), Blackhawks (6-1), Flyers (4-1), Canucks (5-2), Sabres (3-1), Flames (3-1) and the Blues (3-1). Included in that run of ten wins in eleven matches was just one defeat, and that was 5-2 away to the Panthers just before Thanksgiving.
With a form like that, it’s little wonder the best NHL betting sites have installed them as the favorites to lift the Stanley Cup in 2023.
It’s not often this happens, but the Avalanche are at home and not the betting favorites to win the match. On the moneyline the Bruins are -170, and the Avalanche is +150.
The handicap market sees the Avalanche get the 1.5 points start, with this advantage they are -180, and starting from -1.5 points, the Bruins are +160. Total points is set at 6 goals, over 6 is -115, and under 6 is -105.
For me, there is no way I can pick Colorado to win on the current form. Yes, of course, they can beat the Bruins with home advantage, but the form just points to a win for Boston.
The only question is, moneyline or handicap? I will work on the theory that as Boston is not nailed on to win, I’m not backing them at the odds-on price of -170. That only leaves the slightly more risky bet of the handicap, but with far better rewards if it pays off.
So my first betting pick for this match is for Boston to beat Colorado on the handicap line.
Next, over or under? Colorado matches have had heaps of goals lately; there have been five or more goals in their last six matches, with goals going in at both ends, except the match against the Jets (Colorado lost 5-0).
Their last six-match record reads eight, six, ten, five, and seven goals. I think over six goals has to be the pick here.
