BetMGM: Stanley Cup Playoffs 2nd-round odds, trends

The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs starts Tuesday with eight teams still alive.

Here's a look at what's in store for second-round betting:

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Florida Panthers

The Toronto Maple Leafs will play their first game beyond the first round since May 4, 2004.

And instead of facing the Boston Bruins, who set NHL records for wins and points in the regular season, the Maple Leafs are playing the Florida Panthers, whom they went 3-0-1 against this season, with two of the wins coming in overtime and the other a 6-2 victory March 23 in Florida.

The four-goal win was part of a season-series puck line split; each team covered twice after the Maple Leafs entered the season with four straight ATS wins against Florida.

As of Monday's NHL odds at the BetMGM online sportsbook, Toronto is -1.5 (+155) on the puck line and -155 on the moneyline. With the Bruins and Colorado Avalanche eliminated the Maple Leafs are now the Stanley Cup favorite at +375 -- after opening the first round at +900.

Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils

The Bruins may have been the best team in the NHL this season, but the Hurricanes and Devils were second and third, respectively. Now they will meet with a chance to go to the Eastern Conference Final.

Carolina was 2-1-1 against New Jersey, with each winning one game at home and one game on the road, but the Devils covered in three of the four games, including a 3-0 win March 12 as the 1.5-goal favorite.

The Hurricanes' puck line struggles never translated to moneyline struggles this season, though, as they nearly matched last season's franchise-record regular-season points total, won the division for the third straight season -- before last season, Carolina never had won back-to-back division championships -- and won at least one playoff series for the fourth time in five seasons.

Dallas Stars vs. Seattle Kraken

Roope Hintz and the Dallas Stars were dominant in the final three games of their first-round series win against the Minnesota Wild; they covered the puck line in each of the last three games and enter the second round as one of three teams riding a three-game winning streak.

Hintz became the 13th player in the last 25 seasons to have at least 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in a series that ended in six or fewer games. He'll look to stay hot -- and somehow remain on pace to break Wayne Gretzky's single-year playoff record of 47 points -- against a Seattle team they faced three times in the final three weeks of the regular season.

The Stars were 1-2 outright and 1-2 against the puck line in those three games, two of which went to overtime.

They're a big moneyline home favorite in Game 1. At -175, they're looking to continue a historical trend of big favorites winning the opening game of a second-round series. Since 2005, moneyline favorites of at least -175 are 17-2 (.895).

It's a familiar spot for the Kraken; all four wins against the Colorado Avalanche came as an underdog, including three when a moneyline dog of at least +155. And barring a dramatic flip from the current number of +145 before Game 1 on Tuesday, they'll be a sizable underdog again.

Seattle went 12-21 (.364) as a moneyline dog of at least +145 during the regular season.

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers

Of the three teams on a three-game winning streak entering the second round, the Vegas Golden Knights are among two that play Game 1 at home -- the Stars are the other. Historically it's a great spot for hot teams.

Since 2005 in Game 1s, home teams that advanced in the previous series with at least three straight wins have a puck line ROI of +15.1 percent in covering 43 percent of those games.

If Vegas covers as a home underdog (+1.5, -250 puck line as of Monday) against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, it would be just the third cover in their last nine games against Edmonton dating to October, 2021.

You can view updated NHL odds and more online sports betting opportunities at the BetMGM online sportsbook.