There is nothing like the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The emotional and physical toll it takes to win the 16 games to claim the Stanley Cup is unlike any in the wide world of sports.
But now, with players locked in a “bubble” away from family and friends during the middle of a pandemic, you really can say there has never been anything like this Stanley Cup playoffs.
It may have taken four months to get here, but let the fun (and NHL betting) finally begin.
First up for the Colorado Avalanche on their Mission 16W is the Arizona Coyotes in the Western Conference quarterfinals. Mission 16W is what Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque called Colorado’s 2001 quest for the Cup. That’s also the last time the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup.
We play tomorrow btw 😀#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/3YPyekCHrj
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) August 11, 2020
Avalanche vs. Coyotes schedule
The first game in the best-of-seven series is at 3:30 p.m. MST Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Since the sports betting Colorado market launched on May 1, this is the first chance for sports fans to bet on the NHL playoffs.
As was the case for the round-robin and qualifying round games, all Western Conference quarterfinal playoff games will be played in Edmonton, Alberta. All Eastern Conference quarterfinal playoff games are set for Toronto.
Colorado went 2-0-1 in the round-robin seeding games to claim the No. 2 seed in the West. The Las Vegas Golden Knights are the No. 1 seed and face the Chicago Blackhawks in the quarterfinals.
| Avalanche vs Coyotes NHL playoffs quarterfinals schedule | Time (MST) | Date | TV | Radio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game One | 3:30 p.m. | Wednesday, Aug. 12 | NBCSN/Altitude TV | Altitude Radio |
| Game Two | Noon | Friday, Aug. 14 | NHL Network/Altitude TV | Altitude Radio |
| Game Three | 1 p.m. | Saturday, Aug. 15 | CNBC/Altitude TV | Altitude Radio |
| Game Four | 3:30 p.m. | Monday, Aug. 17 | NBCSN/Altitude TV | Altitude Radio |
| Game Five (if necessary) | TBD | Wednesday, Aug. 19 | TBD | Altitude Radio |
| Game Six (if necessary) | TBD | Friday, Aug. 21 | TBD | Altitude Radio |
| Game Seven (if necessary) | TBD | Sunday, Aug. 23 | TBD | Altitude Radio |
Game line odds and series odds
As for the sports betting odds, the Avs are a betting favorite across multiple sports betting CO apps and multiple wagers.
The Avalanche are favored to win Game One of their series against Arizona, at least according to DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM Sports.
| Avalanche vs Coyotes Games One odds | DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point spread | Avalanche -1.5 +150 Coyotes +1.5 -210 | Avalanche -1.5 +155 Coyotes +1.5 -180 | Avalanche -1.5 +150 Coyotes -1.5 -182 |
| Moneyline | Avalanche -180 Coyotes +150 | Avalanche -180 Coyotes +155 | Avalanche -182 Coyotes +155 |
| Total goals scored | Over 5.5 -107 Under 5.5 -114 | Over 5.5 +100 Under 5.5 -120 | Over 5.5 -106 Under 5.5 -115 |
The three sportsbooks also have Colorado as the favorite to win the series.
| Avalanche vs Coyotes NHL playoffs quarterfinals odds | DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series winner | Avalanche -286 Coyotes +235 | Avalanche -290 Coyotes +225 | Avalanche -250 Coyotes +210 |
Stanley Cup odds
Colorado also remains a betting favorite to win the Stanley Cup. That’s been the case since the NHL announced its return-to-play plan in late May.
Now that the Avalanche are the No. 2 seed in the West after their three round-robin games, DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM have Colorado equal to or slightly behind the Golden Knights to win the Cup and the West. The Philadelphia Flyers are also a favorite for the Cup and to win the East.
| Colorado Avalanche odds | DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHL Western Conference winner | Golden Knights +250 Avalanche +275 Blues +425 Stars +650 Flames +900 Canucks +900 Coyotes +1,400 Blackhawks +1,500 | Golden Knights +250 Avalanche +270 Blues +460 Stars +700 Flames +900 Canucks +1,000 Coyotes +1,500 Blackhawks +1,500 | Avalanche +260 Golden Knights +260 Blues +450 Stars +750 Flames +900 Canucks +1,100 Coyotes +1,600 Blackhawks +1,600 |
| Stanley Cup winner — top five | Flyers +550 Golden Knights +550 Avalanche +650 Lightning +800 Bruins +850 Blues +1,000 | Avalanche +600 Flyers +600 Golden Knights +600 Lightning +700 Bruins +800 Blues +1,100 Capitals +1,300 | Bruins +700 Lightning +700 Avalanche +800 Golden Knights +800 Blues +900 Capitals +1,000 Flyers +1,100 |
Conn Smythe Trophy odds
If you’re looking for a futures betting option that involves Avalanche players, center Nathan MacKinnon is the favorite on DraftKings and BetMGM to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (the MVP of the playoffs).
| Odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy | DraftKings | BetMGM |
|---|---|---|
| Conn Smythe Trophy winner — top five | Nathan MacKinnon +550 Brad Marchand +1,000 Carter Hart +1,100 Patrice Bergeron +1,200 Andre Vasilevskiy +1,200 Robin Lehner +1,200 Brayden Point +1,300 Mark Stone +1,300 Nazem Kadri +1,300 | Nathan MacKinnon +900 Tuuka Rask +1,200 Carter Hart +1,300 Nikita Kucherov +1,500 Max Pacioretty +1,500 David Pastrnak +1,600 |
Stanley Cup playoff experience
What helps Colorado in this situation is experience.
This is the third-straight season the Avalanche have qualified for the playoffs, so this isn’t their first rodeo. With that comes motivation from a tough loss.
Colorado made it to seven games in its Western Conference semifinal series against the San Jose Sharks. The Avs lost in Game Seven.
Yes, Colorado wasn’t even supposed to make it out of the quarterfinal series against the Calgary Flames, but losing in Game Seven sticks with you.
The Avalanche want to turn that into a deep playoff run that ends with them skating for the Cup.
Very few times does an opportunity present itself to become the best. Colorado knows what’s in front of it — a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup. Now it’s time to make it happen.
As MacKinnon said to the team website:
“I think, with experience, you feel better and better. I think for everyone in our group, every year you play in the NHL you realize you don’t have many chances and for me, this feels like my first real chance to win, which really excites me and I think it excites everyone. Obviously, it is not easy to get in this position, we are second in the West and that is kind of where we finished if there wasn’t a qualifier and the round robin or whatever for our team. Personally, I feel comfortable. This is my fourth playoffs now and third straight obviously with everyone else, but I feel good and hopefully, I can be a key guy in the first round.”
