u/Brayneum

Heavy Favorites: CAR, COL, MIN, PHI, VGK

Favorites: EDM, TBL, BUF

PHI and MIN now become analytical favorites over PIT and DAL with their Game 1 wins. Teams were 10-5 last year and are 535-252 overall in playoff series when winning Game 1.

The three winners yesterday (CAR, MIN, PHI) join COL for highest sweepage odds. (≥10%) CAR and MIN both lead at 14%. 

CAR jumps COL as the MoneyPuck Cup Favorite. (12.4 → 15.1%) Incredibly, they already near 50% in ECF Appearance odds despite being 1 game in the postseason.

The biggest change among teams who did not play yesterday was BUF getting a 0.5% boost in series odds over BOS. (54 → 54.5%)

📈Yesterday’s R2 Risers: PHI (+17.2%) MIN (+16.3%) CAR (+12.8%) 

Andersen jumps both Kevin Weekes and Petr Mrazek for the 2nd most postseason shutouts in Hurricanes history. Could he tie for 1st with Cam Ward this year?

It’s his 3rd in 2 postseasons and also in his 5 year Carolina Career.

The last time the Hurricanes had a shutout that wasn’t Andersen’s was in 2022 R2 G2 vs. NYR (21/21, Raanta)

Heavy Favorite: COL

Favorites: VGK, EDM, CAR, TBL

Light Favorites: BUF, PIT

Tossup: MIN over DAL

COL, CAR, VGK all current cup favorites (≥10%)

COL is the only team Moneypuck has to sweep with odds at or above 10%

2025: Jalen Chatfield at 2:24 vs. NJD

2024: Evgeny Kuznetsov at 1:45 vs. NYI

2023: Sebastian Aho at 3:47 vs. NYI

2022: Seth Jarvis at 36:28 vs. BOS

2021: Teuvo Teravainen at 13:41 vs. NSH

Who nets the first one this year and how long will it take?

The 25-26 LA Kings are the first team in the Salary Cap Era to qualify for the playoffs while finishing as the #20 team in the league. The last team to clinch while being #20 were the 91-92 Hartford Whalers. (20th/22)

What were your thoughts on the Kings this season? How far do you think they’ll go in the playoffs?

The 25-26 Washington Capitals are the first team in the Salary Cap Era to miss the playoffs while finishing as the #12 team in the league. The last team to miss at #12 were the 95-96 New Jersey Devils. 

What were your thoughts on the Caps this season?

The 25-26 Washington Capitals are the first team in the Salary Cap Era to miss the playoffs while finishing as the #12 team in the league. The last team to miss at #12 were the 95-96 New Jersey Devils. 

The 25-26 Los Angeles Kings are the first team in the Salary Cap Era to qualify for the playoffs while finishing as the #20 team in the league. The last team to clinch while being #20 were the 91-92 Hartford Whalers. (20th/22)

Here is a graph below comparing teams who had bad final placements but made the playoffs (with their postseason finishes) as well as teams with good final placements yet missed the playoffs. (with how many points they were out by)