New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils Playoff Series Best Bets

Two Metropolitan Division rivals are to set face off in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the New York Rangers clashing with the New Jersey Devils. Of the eight first-round series, this matchup has the tightest odds. That should come as no surprise when you factor in that the Rangers finished the year with 107 points, while the Devils were slightly above them with 112 points. New Jersey Devils (-126) vs. New York Rangers (+105) 

New Jersey Devils

After finishing near the basement of the NHL standings last season, the New Jersey Devils emerged as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender in 2023. New Jersey boasts one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, and they will only get better over the coming seasons. Fair questions surround them about their overall lack of postseason experience. Still, the Devils proved to be a top-ten team in the league in goals scored and goals allowed per game during the regular season, and that has to hold some merit in this matchup.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are undoubtedly a much bigger beast, and scoring goals becomes more difficult. That raises another question: are the Devils built with too much skill and not enough size or grit to go the distance in a seven-game series? It’s undoubtedly a fair ask, but adding Timo Meier at the trade deadline gave them a new look up front. Even if this isn’t the year for them, don’t sleep on the Devils because they will be a severe threat to the next half-decade. 

New York Rangers

As we questioned the Devils’ postseason experience, the Rangers are no longer in the same boat. Sure, they have some young players on their roster, but they were able to see what playoff hockey was all about last season when the team made a run to the Eastern Conference Final.

A big reason to be bullish about the Rangers is their goaltender, Igor Shesterkin, who remains one of the league’s best netminders. He gives them a sizable advantage in goal in this series and demonstrated during their playoff run how important it is to have a top goalie.

The Rangers, too, went all-in at the deadline and acquired one of the biggest fish on the market in Patrick Kane. Can Kane find the postseason success he had with the Chicago Blackhawks? If he can regain his form, there’s no reason this Rangers team can’t go on a deep run again. 

Verdict

If you’re looking for a matchup that can provide a lot of fireworks, look no further than the Devils and Rangers. Ultimately, these teams are evenly matched, so we’re projecting this series to go seven games. The Rangers were no stranger to that in their run last year, and the Devils are too talented for them to roll over and bow out quickly.

Even though the Devils should make this a compelling series, we’re content in siding with the Rangers to advance to the second round of the playoffs. 

Best Bet: Series to Go Seven Games (+194), Rangers to Win Series 4-3 (+540) 

All Odds Courtesy of the FanDuel Sportsbook