Pittsburgh will try to become the first team since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997-98 to win consecutive Stanley Cups, while Nashville will try to bring home the Cup in its first try.
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The Penguins won the 2016 Stanley Cup over the San Jose Sharks. Pittsburgh also won the Cup in 1991, 1992 and 2009.
Nashville advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in the franchise’s 18-year history. The Predators advanced to the Western Conference semifinals in 2011 and 2012, but lost both times.
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Odds to win 2017 Stanley Cup Final
So who does Vegas favor in the matchup?
The Penguins opened as the odds-on favorites at 2/3, according to vegasinsider.com. The Predators’ odds of winning opened at 13/10.
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Before the 2016-17 NHL season started, the Penguins were listed at +800 to repeat, according to oddshark.com, behind only the Capitals (+650) and Blackhawks (+750). That would be a nice payout for their believers, but nowhere close to the potential payday for bettors who took the Predators at +1500 odds.
Stanley Cup Finals odds: Game 1 line, total
The defending champion Penguins opened as -140 favorites to win Game 1 on home ice. That money line has ballooned to -165 in some sportsbooks around Vegas. The puck line has hovered around Penguins -1.5. The total (over/under) for Game 1 opened at 5.5.
Stanley Cup Final MVP odds
Here are the opening odds to win the 2017 Conn Smythe Trophy awarded to the Stanley Cup Final’s most valuable player:
