Bruins’ Playoff Exit Makes This Team New Stanley Cup Favorite

The Bruins’ shocking playoff exit Sunday turned into a huge gain for the rest of the Eastern Conference.

Boston lost to the Florida Panthers in overtime in Game 7 at TD Garden, which marked a disappointing end to a historic season. The Bruins likely will feel the pain of the loss in the weeks and months to come, but the Stanley Cup playoffs move on to the second round, and the Black and Gold’s playoff exit means there is a new favorite to win it all.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the favorite to win the Stanley Cup with +380 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. The Edmonton Oilers are the favorite to come out of the Western Conference and have +400 odds to win the title. Oddsmakers also have the New Jersey Devils and the Carolina Hurricanes in the top four with +500 and +550 odds, respectively.

The Maple Leafs play the Panthers in Round 2 with Game 1 starting Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto has not won a Stanley Cup title since the 1966-67 season, but it believes this season’s team is the one to break the curse.

The defending champion Colorado Avalanche were eliminated in the first round by the Seattle Kraken, and the Connor McDavid-led Oilers are expected to take advantage of a wide-open Western Conference. FiveThirtyEight pegged them as the favorite to win the title, giving Edmonton a 21% chance. Carolina has a 19% chance, and Toronto has a 17% chance.

An extended championship drought is expected to end this season, but Boston’s first-round elimination makes it a wide-open playoff field.