Not many even expected the Nashville Predators to make the playoffs this season, not to mention clinch a spot early and look really good in the second half. On paper, they are a longshot to win the Stanley Cup, but factoring in all of the intangibles, the Predators have the 10th best odds to win it all this season at 4.5% according to MoneyPuck. Nashville, finishing in the first wildcard spot in the Western Conference and landing on the Pacific side of the bracket, has the sixth-best odds to hoist the Stanley Cup from the West. This puts them above the Winnipeg Jets (3%) and Los Angeles Kings (1.1%). The Jets, despite winning eight games in a row heading into the playoffs, have to get through the Colorado Avalanche and then either the Dallas Stars or Vegas Golden Knights to make it to the conference finals. This is arguably the toughest side of the bracket of the four divisions. As for the Kings, they've lost to the Edmonton Oilers in back-to-back first rounds and then would either meet the Predators or Vancouver Canucks, both of whom are better teams this season. Overall, the Predators surprisingly have better odds to win the Stanley Cup than the Boston Bruins (3.7%), Tampa Bay Lightning (3.7%), New York Islanders (0.1%), and Washington Capitals (less than 0.1%) from the Eastern Conference. It isn't surprising seeing the lackluster Islanders and Capitals with very low odds to win it all. Both teams have to go up against juggernauts in the first round and then likely play the other juggernaut in the second round between the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes if one makes it that far. Filip Forsberg, Tommy Novak, Cody Glass and Roman Josi speak after the Nashville Predators' 6-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Bruins and Lightning are in a very tough division as well that always has four highly competitive teams duking it out to make it out of the first two rounds. The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs have the advantage on paper, but it's anyone's guess as to who actually comes out of that side of the bracket. The Predators haven't been great in their past 10 games, winning just four times, but playoffs are essentially the start of a new season and teams can flip a switch. Whether a team goes into the postseason red hot or ice cold, there are cases of both having completely different playoff experiences. Nashville visits the Canucks for the first two games of their first round series and the Predators are going to overcome a big test and not only defeat Vancouver for the first time this season, but three more after that. Playoff action for the Predators gets underway in the late game on Sunday. RECENT PREDATORS NEWS Podcast: Predators Postseason Autopsy [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/podcasts/podcast-predators-postseason-autopsy] Playoff-Bound Predators 'Never Worried About Results' [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/playoff-bound-predators-never-worried-about-results] Predators' Lauzon Sets NHL Record for Hits With Massive Final Game [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/predators-lauzon-sets-nhl-record-for-hits-with-massive-final-game] Mark Jankowski Adds Brains, Brawn & a 'Really Underrated Shot' to Predators' Bottom-Six [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/mark-jankowski-adds-brains-brawn-a-really-underrated-shot-to-predators-bottom-six]
