Carolina Hurricanes vs. Florida Panthers Eastern Conference Final Best Bets

The Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes have successfully advanced past two rounds in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This wasn’t a matchup that the oddsmakers projected heading into the postseason.

All odds courtesy of the FanDuel Sportsbook. 

Carolina Hurricanes (-145) vs. Florida Panthers (+120)

Carolina Hurricanes

Even though the Carolina Hurricanes have been dealing with some critical injuries, they haven’t prevented them from succeeding in the postseason. The Hurricanes have bought into head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s system, refusing to waive the white flag with the setbacks they’ve experienced. They have an excellent forecheck, play strong defensively, and have the goaltending needed to advance. 

The Hurricanes advanced to the Eastern Conference Final after defeating the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils. Theoretically, their next opponent, the Panthers, is a potent mix of both. They bring the defensive and physical brand of the Islanders and the offensive creativity of New Jersey.

Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers were the last Eastern team to clinch a playoff spot. They lacked consistency during the regular season, and it took a significant run in the second half of the year to get back into the postseason. In 2021-22, the Panthers won the Presidents’ Trophy, so it was surprising to see them so close to the playoff cut line in 2022-23. In the offseason, they made a franchise-altering trade acquiring Matthew Tkachuk from the Calgary Flames. It was a trade that had the playoffs in mind, which is now bearing fruit.

To advance to the Eastern Conference Final, the Panthers had to take down two of the top regular season teams in the NHL, the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. Even though the Leafs and Bruins had more star power than the Canes, Carolina plays a solid team game and will be a difficult matchup for Florida. 

Verdict

You can make a case for both sides in this matchup, highlighted in the relatively close series price. The Hurricanes are -145 favorites to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, while the Panthers are at +120. The Hurricanes play a sustainable brand of hockey and will be difficult to beat four times in seven games. As a result, we like the Hurricanes’ price to win in six games at +460. 

Best Bet: Hurricanes to Win Series 4-2 (+460)