When you look at Stanley Cup betting in 2023, the New York Rangers sitting at +1400 has to be the most interesting wager available at the moment. They appear to be a lock to make the playoffs at this point, although the Blueshirts exact seeding is still up in the air.
Their biggest challenge, at least on the surface, might be playing in the Eastern Conference which is absolutely stacked. New York currently has 70 points, the sixth best total back east. A lone Western Conference team at the time this article was published had reached that threshold.
Of course, regular season points totals mean nothing in the NHL. Only one of the last 12 Presidents’ Trophy winners has gone on to lift the Stanley Cup. Over the same time, two have lost in the first round of the playoffs. The Boston Bruins could snap that trend but there is no reason to believe they are a lock.
Beyond the Bruins, there aren’t many other hockey teams you would say are unequivocally better than the Rangers. The Toronto Maple Leafs are a fool’s bet. Tampa Bay is solid but struggle on the road and don’t look quite as good as their previous championship sides. Carolina is on the same level as New York. New Jersey has no postseason experience.
But that is only one half of the equation here when it comes to Stanley Cup betting in 2023. The Rangers also have the pieces needed to make a run. Igor Shesterkin is a goalie who can win games all by himself. The blueline led by Adam Fox is great. Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad are potential series winners.
New York is in the top ten in both penalty kill and goals against. They are also a top ten side in terms of goals scored. Perhaps the only real issue is the team’s powerplay which is among the league’s worst. It is certainly an area that could sink the Blueshirts. Their man advantage percentage is an atrocious 22.7 percent.
That is terrible and the Rangers have obviously tried to correct this by trading for Vladimir Tarasenko. The former St. Louis Blues winger could help in that regard, but the move isn’t a sure thing by any means.
All things considered, the New York Rangers are an interesting wager when you look at Stanley Cup betting in 2023.
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