The format is going to be the same as ever – four separate rounds of seven-game series that will eventually bring the two conferences together to establish the final winner.

Round one sees both of the top teams in their respective conferences play the second wild card team with the conference runners-up taking on the number three teams.

Then, the winner of the series between the runners-up and the number three team plays their division winner and the wild card team, whichever has won their seven-game series.

So, if the Bruins stay at the top of the Atlantic division and go on to win in the first round, they would play the winner of the series between the runners up and the number three teams in the same division.

After the second round, the remaining pair of teams in each conference will meet in the conference finals. The Eastern and Western Conference winners will then compete for the Stanley Cup in the finals.

But the million dollar question is who those two teams will be and, for clues, it’s probably best to take a close look at the Stanley Cup odds.

Who’s in it to win it

Some four weeks before the play offs are due to start it seems like the sportsbooks see the trophy in all probability heading east this year. From the six most hotly-tipped teams in the running for the Cup four are from out east, two in the Atlantic division and two in the Metropolitan. In the west it’s one team from each of the Central and Pacific divisions.

Florida Panthers

Coming in as a wild card last season, the Florida Panthers did exceptionally well to make it all the way through to the final – however the 4-1 defeat by the Vegas Golden Knights cruelly denied them what would have been a famous victory. But still, it seems to have buoyed them up this season where they have shown a real winning spirit. Star of the show has been the veteran Sergei Bobrovski without whom they surely would have conceded many more goals.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have also enjoyed a very favorable goal difference this season, only just lagging behind the division-leading Rangers. Many feel that, given the way that they’ve played over the last three seasons gaining over 110 points consistently, they deserve a shot at the big prize. The team is young, fast and committed with coach Rod Brind’Amour bringing out the very best in them. So maybe this is the year that they go all the way.

Edmonton Oilers

No less an authority than ESPN’s Paul Taylor predicted last fall that this was going to be the Oilers’ year. Last year they earned a berth thanks to their second place finish in the Western Pacific, only to have their progress blocked in the second round by the eventual winners. Central to the team’s success have been Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl – and the latter has expressed a strong desire to finally claim the sport’s biggest prize.

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche had a pretty clear run through to winning the finals outright in 2022, beating Tampa Bay fairly decisively. With a rock-solid team line-up this season, hopes are high that they might be set to repeat the success. There’s strength in depth with players like Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen as well as defenseman Bowen Byram and goalie Alexandar Georgiev. In MacKinnon it’s even being suggested that he’s well up in the running for MVP of the season.

Boston Bruins

No-one, not least the Bruins, were expecting a first round exit at the hands of the Florida Panthers last season. It stung deeply – and it’s made the Bruins determined to do all they can to have a more successful run this year. The players who could put them back where they feel they belong include defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. If David Pastrnak can keep on scoring too the prospects are good.

New York Rangers

Another team determined to avenge their Stanley Cup failure last season are the Rangers. Their exit came after an epic seven game first round battle with local rivals the New Jersey Devils. New coach Peter Laviolette is equally determined to cap off the season just as strongly as they started it and fans everywhere are hoping his ambitions will be realized.

Of course, hockey is a notoriously unpredictable game. So any, or none, of the above may be victorious. We’ll just have to wait until the fat lady sings to discover the truth.