Avalanche have third best odds to win Stanley Cup, but there’s a catch

The Colorado Avalanche have a great chance to hoist the Stanley Cup this summer.

At least, according to the wise guys in Vegas.

The updated odds at a popular sportsbook show the Avs with the third best chance (+800) to win it all. But there’s a catch.

The Dallas Stars have the second highest odds (+550) and the defending champion Florida Panthers are the favorites (+500).

However, with the NHL’s asinine playoff seeding system, the Avalanche and Stars are on a collision course in Round 1. The league made the shift away from the 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5 format all the way back in the 2013-14 season. Instead, the second and third teams from each division clash in the opening round.

That sounds alright on paper, but there are a couple of problems. First of all, we’re seeing a lot of the same matchups again year after year. And second, what if there’s a dominant division that matches up elite teams too early?

Take the Central Division this season. As of this moment, the Jets (100 points), Stars (94 points) and Avalanche (89 points) have three of the six highest points totals in the entire NHL. Not just the Western Conference, but the whole league.

It’s a joke that either Colorado or Dallas will see their season end near the end of April, should the two indeed meet in the first-round. Meanwhile, whoever emerges from that bloodbath of a series will have knocked out a very legitimate contender and probably become the new favorite to win the Stanley Cup.

If the old format were still in place, the Stars would currently take on the Minnesota Wild in Round 1 (2 vs. 7) and the Avalanche would face the Los Angeles Kings (4 vs. 5). That looks a lot more fair in theory.

It’s definitely exciting the Avs have a great shot to win their second title in four years. It’s also maddening those dreams could end way too early based on the NHL’s stubborn refusal to change how the postseason is seeded.